Random, aligned and grassy: Bioactivity and biofilm analysis of Zirconia nanostructures as dental implant modification

Abstract

Zirconium (Zr)-based implants are rapidly gaining popularity due to their excellent physical, mechanical and biological properties. While Zr-based dental implants have shown promising outcomes, their performance may be suboptimal, especially in compromised conditions. To address this, conventional Zr implants have been modified via physical, chemical and biological means to augment cellular functions to achieve enhanced osseointegration, soft-tissue integration and local therapy. In this study, we fabricated controlled ZrO2 nanostructures (ZONs), including aligned nanopores, random nanopores and nanograss, on clinically relevant micro-machined and rough Zr surfaces via optimized electrochemical anodization. In-depth surface topographical and chemical characterization was performed to confirm the formation of ZONs. Further, the bioactivity performance of ZONs was investigated in vitro using primary human osteoblasts, and the effect on salivary polymicrobial biofilms was explored. The findings revealed that nano-engineered Zirconia augments the activity of osteoblasts without increasing biofilm formation. Anodized nano-engineered Zirconia implants are proposed as potential next-generation dental implants, featuring enhanced healing properties without promoting biofilm formation.