Dental Implant Healing Screws as Temporary Oral Drug Delivery Systems for Decrease of Infections in the Area of the Head and Neck

Rafał Pokrowiecki, Urszula Szałaj, Damian Fudala, Tomasz Zaręba, Jacek Wojnarowicz, Witold Łojkowski, Stefan Tyski, Krzysztof Dowgierd, Agnieszka Mielczarek

Background:

Periimplantitis is continuously one of major threats for the uneventful functioning of dental implants. Current approaches of drug delivery systems are being more commonly implemented into oral- and maxillofacial biomaterials in order to decrease the risk of implant failure due to bacterial infection. Silver nanoparticles and their compounds have been proven in eradicating oral bacteria responsible for peri-implant infections. Nevertheless, their evaluation as coating for implant abutments has not been extensively evaluated so far. This article describes a novel coating consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs). This coating was used to modify healing abutments that could be used as drug delivery systems in oral implantology.

Materials and Method:

Nanoparticles with a ZnO + 0.1% Ag composition were produced by microwave solvothermal synthesis and then incorporated into the surface of titanium healing abutments by high-power ultrasonic deposition. Surface morphology, roughness,
wettability were evaluated. Ability of biofilm formation inhibition was tested against S. mutans, S. oralis, S. aureus and E. coli.

Results:

ZnO+0.1%Ag NPs were sufficiently deposed on the surface of the abutments creating nanostructured coating which increased surface roughness and decreased wettability. Modified abutments significantly decreased bacterial biofilm formation. Bacteria present in SEM studies were unlikely to settle and replicate on the experimental abutments as their cells were rounded, insufficiently spread on the surface and covered with released NPs.

Conclusion:

Experimental nanostructured abutments were easily manufactured by high-power ultrasonic deposition and provided significant antibacterial properties. Such biomaterials could be used as temporary drug delivery abutments for prevention and treatment of intra- and extra-oral peri-implant infections in the area of the head and neck.

Keywords: dental implants, periimplantitis, nanotechnology, nanoparticles, NPs, drug delivery, zinc oxide, ZnO, silver, Ag