Research Summary

Dental implants: different materials for different tissues

The risk of infection may be reduced by constructing dental implants from combinations of materials that resist bacterial growth. Microbes can potentially form antibiotic-resistant biofilms on the surface of implants, particularly if the surrounding tissue does not form a tight seal. Researchers led by Yijin Ren at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands devised a ‘coculture’ model to study how oral bacteria interfere with bone cell growth on different implant materials. Although smooth titanium surfaces work well in gum tissue, the researchers found that oral bacteria readily displaced bone cells from this material. Materials based on zirconium or titanium-zirconium alloys provided a far more hospitable environment for bone cell growth, even amid biofilm-forming pathogens. These results suggest that implants composed of two different materials may facilitate better integration of implants.