Electrically Stimulated Dental Implants Triggers Soft‐Tissue Integration and Bactericidal Functions

Abstract

AbstractModulating cellular functions at the dental implant‐tissue interface to augment integration and prevent bacterial ingress is crucial for achieving early stability and long‐term implant success. Nano‐engineering strategies, such as anodized titanium implants with titania (TiO2) nanotubes/nanopores, are emerging as a promising dental implant surface modification approach to enhance integration and prevent infection. Achieving on‐demand therapy through electrical stimulation therapy (EST, supply of voltage/current to local tissue) may be advantageous but has not been explored for dental implants. Further, anodized implants with TiO2 nanotubes/nanopores represent a semi‐conducting modification that can impede EST effectiveness. In this pioneering study, TiO2 nanopores are converted into conducting Ti nanopores to perform EST to achieve superior soft‐tissue integration and antibacterial efficacy. In‐depth surface characterizations are followed by assays investigating the effect of EST on cultured human salivary biofilm and gingival fibroblasts. Significant bactericidal efficacy is demonstrated for EST (1.5 V for 5 min per day) using Ti nanopores. Further, EST enhanced fibroblast proliferation and collagen secretion. In summary, EST applied to Ti nanoporous implants promotes soft‐tissue healing and antibacterial functions and is proposed as a next‐generation approach in implant dentistry to achieve on‐demand therapy.