Surface Treatments and Functional Coatings for Biocompatibility Improvement and Bacterial Adhesion Reduction in Dental Implantology

Surface modification of dental implants is a key process in the production of these medical devices, and especially titanium implants used in the dental practice are commonly subjected to surface modification processes before their clinical use. A wide range of treatments, such as sand blasting, acid etching, plasma etching, plasma spray deposition, sputtering deposition and cathodic arc deposition, have been studied over the years in order to improve the performance of dental implants. Improving or accelerating the osseointegration process is usually the main goal of these surface processes, but the improvement of biocompatibility and the prevention of bacterial adhesion are also of considerable importance. In this review, we report on the research of the recent years in the field of surface treatments and coatings deposition for the improvement of dental implants performance, with a main focus on the osseointegration acceleration, the reduction of bacterial adhesion and the improvement of biocompatibility

Challenges of Periodontal Tissue Engineering: Increasing Biomimicry through 3D Printing and Controlled Dynamic Environment

In recent years, tissue engineering studies have proposed several approaches to regenerate periodontium based on the use of three-dimensional (3D) tissue scaffolds alone or in association with periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). The rapid evolution of bioprinting has sped up classic regenerative medicine, making the fabrication of multilayered scaffolds—which are essential in targeting the periodontal ligament (PDL)—conceivable. Physiological mechanical loading is fundamental to generate this complex anatomical structure ex vivo. Indeed, loading induces the correct orientation of the fibers forming the PDL and maintains tissue homeostasis, whereas overloading or a failure to adapt to mechanical load can be at least in part responsible for a wrong tissue regeneration using PDLSCs. This review provides a brief overview of the most recent achievements in periodontal tissue engineering, with a particular focus on the use of PDLSCs, which are the best choice for regenerating PDL as well as alveolar bone and cementum. Different scaffolds associated with various manufacturing methods and data derived from the application of different mechanical loading protocols have been analyzed, demonstrating that periodontal tissue engineering represents a proof of concept with high potential for innovative therapies in the near future

Using a Preoperative Scan Digital Impression and a Digital Index to Build Immediate Interim Full-Arch Implant-Supported Prosthesis. A Case Report and Proof of Concept

The transfer of information such esthetics and occlusion from the preoperative to the postoperative digital impression could reduce the time needed to build an immediately loaded full-arch not-guided rehabilitation and improve the quality of the immediate interim restoration. Based on the digital technology advances of the last years, the purpose of the present clinical report is to describe a novel digital workflow based on computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing aimed at fabricating an interim fixed full-arch restoration. The protocol entails recording preoperative information such as esthetics, the occlusal plane and the intermaxillary relationship in implant-supported complete rehabilitations before the surgical insertion of the fixtures. Then, the information is transferred to the postoperative impression using a digital index in the lower jaw and the palatal rugae in the upper jaw. Within the inherent limitations of a case report, the workflow was accurate, predictable, without errors from conventional protocols and was apparently characterized by low biological costs

Possible Role of Microcrystallinity on Surface Properties of Titanium Surfaces for Biomedical Application

Dental implantology has grown tremendously, since the introduction of titanium. To enhance osseointegration, roughening techniques such as grit blasting, chemical etch, electrochemical anodization have been used with good results. An oxide layer mainly composed of TiO2 covers the surface of dental implants ensuring excellent corrosion resistance and chemical stability. Despite its biological role in achieving bone interlock, surprisingly, little is known about the structure of TiO2, which may be either amorphous or crystalline. Furthermore, at least two crystalline polymorph phases can be found at the bone–implant interface: anatase (tetragonal) and rutile (tetragonal). Therefore, besides the recognized importance of surface topography, energy, and charge, a more refined knowledge of surface chemistry is advisable when studying the bone–implant interface. Recently, sophisticated analysis techniques have been applied to dental implants such as Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to obtain structural-crystallographic characterization