Developing methods to prevent or treat microbial colonisation of titanium dental implant surfaces

摘要

Titanium (Ti) dental implants are a successful treatment modality to replace missing teeth. Success is traditionally defined as the retention of the Ti dental implant but fails to account for peri-implant inflammatory diseases such as peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. Peri-implant diseases are caused by the formation of pathogenic bacteria biofilms on the implant surface and disease progression can lead to dysfunctional and unaesthetic outcomes. There is no universally accepted treatment or management protocol for peri-implant disease. The objectives were to develop methods to prevent bacterial adhesion to Ti implant surfaces or treat existing biofilms. The relationship between bacterial adhesion of common early coloniser bacteria and topological features on dental implant surfaces was studied. Reproducible model systems were identified to be used in studies of biofilm formation and disruption. Early bacterial adhesion was investigated on engineered Ti surfaces created using Scanning-Laser-Melting or on Ti nanotubule surfaces. Photoactivation of Ti oxide films was investigated on thermally or anodically oxidised Ti and demonstrated the potential to pre-treat implant surfaces to reduce bacterial attachment. Finally chemical disinfection of Ti surfaces with a novel Eucalyptus Oil (EO) based formulation was demonstrated to increase the permeation of bactericidal agents into immature biofilms formed on Ti surfaces.