Effect of UV-photofunctionalization on oral bacterial attachment and biofilm formation to titanium implant material

Abstract

Bacterial biofilm infections remain prevalent reasons for implant failure. Dental implant placement occurs in the oral environment, which harbors a plethora of biofilm-forming bacteria. Due to its trans-mucosal placement, part of the implant structure is exposed to oral cavity and there is no effective measure to prevent bacterial attachment to implant materials. Here, we demonstrated that UV treatment of titanium immediately prior to use (photofunctionalization) affects the ability of human polymicrobial oral biofilm communities to colonize in the presence of salivary and blood components. UV-treatment of machined titanium transformed the surface from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic. UV-treated surfaces exhibited a significant reduction in bacterial attachment as well as subsequent biofilm formation compared to untreated ones, even though overall bacterial viability was not affected. The function of reducing bacterial colonization was maintained on UV-treated titanium that had been stored in a liquid environment before use. Denaturing gradient gel-electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequencing analyses revealed that while bacterial community profiles appeared different between UV-treated and untreated titanium in the initial attachment phase, this difference vanished as biofilm formation progressed. Our findings confirm that UV-photofunctionalization of titanium has a strong potential to improve outcome of implant placement by creating and maintaining antimicrobial surfaces.

Effect of ultraviolet treatment on bacterial attachment and osteogenic activity to alkali-treated titanium with nanonetwork structures

“…During this period, bacteria can colonize the implant site and initiate the formation of biofilms, which are more resistant to host immunity than planktonic cells. 17 In this study, UV treatment inhibited biofilm formation by A. oris, even after 6 hours of exposure to a high bacterial load (.2×10 8 cfu/mL). Therefore, this …”

“…Currently, superhydrophilicity is rendered to titanium surfaces via a 12-minute UV treatment, preventing biofilm formation for up to 16 hours. 17 This short treatment time allows for the treatment of implants chair-side as well as for immediate insertion of treated implants onto the bone. Therefore, we hypothesized that UV treatment would yield reduced rates of postoperative infection and superior osteogenic activity for TNS.…”

Antimicrobial dental implant functionalization strategies —A systematic review

“…In an in vitro study under static and dynamic conditions, UVA illumination prior to bacterial colonization induced a reduction in adhesion rates and a significant decrease in the adhesion strength of S. epidermidis and S. aureus, without altering biocompatibility 132) . In a multispecies study authors found a positive effect on the attachment and biofilm formation of complex oral microbial communities to UV treated titanium 167) .…”

Ti-GO-Ag nanocomposite: the effect of content level on the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity

“…[1][2][3] Nevertheless, many reasons of implant failure are still associated with peri-implantitis 4 and appear to be resolved. On the implant surfaces, the adsorption of the subsequent accumulation of bacteria and biomolecular pellicles are the main stimuli for inducing peri-implantitis processes.…”

“…On the implant surfaces, the adsorption of the subsequent accumulation of bacteria and biomolecular pellicles are the main stimuli for inducing peri-implantitis processes. 4 Though the biocompatibility of Ti and its alloys has been recognized, 5 it remains difficult to carry out all the requirements, such as osseointergration, biocompatibility, mechanical properties and antibacterial ability. To achieve excellent implant biomaterials, the Ti and its alloys often need modifications, such as sandblasting processing, 6 acid treatment, 7 alkali treatment, 8 laser etching, 9 microarc oxidation 10 and anodic oxidation 11 and so on.…”