Effects of surface topography through laser texturing on the surface characteristics of zirconia-based dental materials: surface hydrophobicity, antibacterial behavior, and cellular response

Abstract

The continuous need for high-performance implants that provide significant biological properties has led to extensive research into the topographic patterns of bioceramics in recent years. Their excellent aesthetics, biocompatibility, low plaque affinity, and ability to reproduce a natural-looking appearance have contributed to their success in dentistry. 3 mol% Yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) is gaining popularity as a material for dental implants due to its excellent mechanical properties and minimal degradation when exposed to body temperature. However, such materials show limited biological and antibacterial performance for dental applications. The purpose of this work was to develop microtopographies on the surface of 3YSZ ceramic by laser ablation technique, in order to improve its biological response and antibacterial behaviors. Two types of microtextures, including micro-grooves and micro-channels geometries were fabricated onto the zirconia ceramics using the laser ablation technique. The effects of different microtextures on the wettability, biological and antibacterial behaviors of 3YSZ ceramics were studied. The results indicate that all of the microstructure patterns are capable of improving the performance of 3YSZ. Wettability is a decisive factor that determines the antibacterial performance of textured zirconia ceramics. The microtextured surfaces all display hydrophobic behavior, thus yielding an effective improvement of antibacterial performance for 3YSZ ceramics. Cell-surface interactions were assessed for 7 days on both zirconia textured surfaces and a nontextured control with pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. The obtained results showed the positive influence of textured zirconia surfaces on cell biological response.

Tailoring zirconia surface topography via femtosecond laser-induced nanoscale features: effects on osteoblast cells and antibacterial properties

“…Our previous work also demonstrated the potential of laser texturing to modulate cellular responses. Specifically, we used a CO2 laser to create microtextures on 3YSZ surfaces, finding that these textures affected cell attachment, proliferation, and metabolic activity compared to non-textured samples [18,48]. The impact of surface topography on the cellular response to zirconia ceramics is a well-documented phenomenon [49,50].…”

“…Osseointegration is a complex process influenced by the implant surface. Various techniques exist to modify zirconia implant surfaces [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. However, these methods have numerous drawbacks, including time-consuming processing, harsh conditions, or requiring expensive masks and reagents, which restrict the plausible surface modification methods in industry, particularly in medical applications [20,21].…”

Fusion Analyser: a novel measurement method and software tool for dental model analysis in orthodontics

“…Conventionally, orthodontic model analysis entails constructing plaster models of the upper and lower teeth and manually taking measurements [9]. Dental models are essential in fabricating the crown prosthesis, where crown refers to the part that covers the top of the tooth, preoperative preparations for implantation, and orthodontic model analysis [10,11,26]. Plaster models are integral to orthodontic patient profiles and are widely used throughout treatment.…”

Surface quality evaluation through 3D profilometry of dental restoration performed in a clinical simulated environment

“…Therefore, accessing these specific sites is expected to be challenging [4]. Consequently, these are more susceptible to biofilm accumulation, which can cause carious lesions and affect periodontal tissue health [5][6][7][8]. Biofilm formation is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the density of the population of bacterial cells reaches a certain threshold and, as a result, leads to the formation of multiple micro-colonies.…”