Incorporation of silver nanoparticles on the surface of orthodontic microimplants to achieve antimicrobial properties.
- Author:
Adith VENUGOPAL
1
;
Nallal MUTHUCHAMY
;
Harsh TEJANI
;
Anantha Iyengar GOPALAN
;
Kwang Pill LEE
;
Heon Jin LEE
;
Hee Moon KYUNG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Nanosilver; Microimplant; Antimicrobial
- MeSH: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; Biopolymers; Dental Implants; Diffusion; Methods; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanoparticles*; Photoelectron Spectroscopy; Silver*; Streptococcus; Streptococcus mutans; Titanium
- From:The Korean Journal of Orthodontics 2017;47(1):3-10
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Microbial aggregation around dental implants can lead to loss/loosening of the implants. This study was aimed at surface treating titanium microimplants with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to achieve antibacterial properties. METHODS: AgNP-modified titanium microimplants (Ti-nAg) were prepared using two methods. The first method involved coating the microimplants with regular AgNPs (Ti-AgNP) and the second involved coating them with a AgNP-coated biopolymer (Ti-BP-AgNP). The topologies, microstructures, and chemical compositions of the surfaces of the Ti-nAg were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Disk diffusion tests using Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans were performed to test the antibacterial activity of the Ti-nAg microimplants. RESULTS: SEM revealed that only a meager amount of AgNPs was sparsely deposited on the Ti-AgNP surface with the first method, while a layer of AgNP-coated biopolymer extended along the Ti-BP-AgNP surface in the second method. The diameters of the coated nanoparticles were in the range of 10 to 30 nm. EDS revealed 1.05 atomic % of Ag on the surface of the Ti-AgNP and an astounding 21.2 atomic % on the surface of the Ti-BP-AgNP. XPS confirmed the metallic state of silver on the Ti-BP-AgNP surface. After 24 hours of incubation, clear zones of inhibition were seen around the Ti-BP-AgNP microimplants in all three test bacterial culture plates, whereas no antibacterial effect was observed with the Ti-AgNP microimplants. CONCLUSIONS: Titanium microimplants modified with Ti-BP-AgNP exhibit excellent antibacterial properties, making them a promising implantable biomaterial.