Preventing Peri-implantitis: The Quest for a Next Generation of Titanium Dental Implants

Titanium and its alloys are frequently the biomaterial of choice for dental implant applications. Although titanium dental implants have been utilized for decades, there are yet unresolved issues pertaining to implant failure. Dental implant failure can arise either through wear and fatigue of the implant itself or peri-implant disease and subsequent host inflammation. In the present report, we provide a comprehensive review of titanium and its alloys in the context of dental implant material, and how surface properties influence the rate of bacterial colonization and peri-implant disease. Details are provided on the various periodontal pathogens implicated in peri-implantitis, their adhesive behavior, and how this relationship is governed by the implant surface properties. Issues of osteointegration and immunomodulation are also discussed in relation to titanium dental implants. Some impediments in the commercial translation for a novel titanium-based dental implant from bench to bedside are discussed. Numerous in vitro studies on novel materials, processing techniques, and methodologies performed on dental implants have been highlighted. The present report review that comprehensively compares the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies of titanium and its alloys for dental implants.

Automated summary

This report comprehensively reviews the application of titanium and its alloys in dental implant materials, discusses how surface properties influence the bacterial colonization and peri-implant disease, and introduces periodontal pathogens and their adhesive behavior in peri-implantitis. It also discusses the relationship between osteointegration, immunomodulation, and titanium dental implants. Furthermore, it highlights the challenges in translating a novel titanium-based dental implant from the laboratory to clinical settings, and emphasizes the in vitro studies on new materials, processing techniques, and methodologies performed on dental implants.