Biocompatible Zirconia Research Articles

A review on cutting-edge innovations in dental implantology

Dental implantology has advanced significantly with innovations in materials, designs, surgical techniques, and digital technology aimed at enhancing patient outcomes. Applications span specialties like prosthodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, aesthetic dentistry, and pediatric dentistry, with pediatric implants showing a success rate of 90-95% over ten years. 4D printing is emerging as a transformative technology for dynamic implants. This review traces the historical development from ancient attempts to modern titanium-based designs, emphasizing milestones like osseo-integration discovery by Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark. Recent progress includes enhanced titanium surfaces, biocompatible zirconia, and composite materials, as well as innovations in implant design such as nanotechnology-enhanced surfaces and personalized implants, all aimed at improving osseointegration and stability, while surgical approaches now prioritize minimally invasive techniques, immediate loading protocols, and computer-guided procedures to minimize patient discomfort and expedite recovery was discussed.

Magnetic field effects on the thermomechanical vibration behavior of functionally graded biocompatible material sandwich nanobeams

This study focuses on modeling and analyzing the thermomechanical vibration behavior of sandwich nanobeams made from biocompatible zirconia and Ti-6Al-4V materials. The sandwich nanobeam is composed of the materials mentioned earlier, featuring a porous structure in the core layer. The sandwich nanobeam experiences significant thermal load and is subjected to a horizontal external electromagnetic field. The equations of motion for the sandwich nanobeam were derived through the application of the sinusoidal high-order shear stress theorem and the constitutive equation based on nonlocal strain gradient elasticity. The equations were converted into equations of motion using Hamilton’s principle, incorporating the thermal load and the Lorentz force generated in the electromagnetic field, and solved using the Navier method. Analyses were conducted on the thermomechanical vibration behavior of the sandwich nanoplate, taking into consideration the properties of the sandwich layers, the impact of temperature, and the intensity of the applied horizontal magnetic field. The impact of the porous core layer in the sandwich nanoplate on the porosity volume ratio and porosity distribution function in thermomechanical behavior has been established. Research has demonstrated that the application of an external magnetic field can effectively mitigate the adverse impacts of thermal loads caused by high temperatures.

Toward Elimination of Electrochemical Corrosion in Dental Implants: A Zirconia-Titanium Composite Prototype.

Background Titanium dental implants (e.g., Nobel Biocare, Switzerland) are routinely used as support for dental restoration. Titanium has been the material of choice due to its corrosion resistance and ability to integrate with bone. Nevertheless, corrosion and titanium dissolution do occur. Compared to control, peri-implantitis tissue biopsies have been shown to contain high concentrations of dissolved titanium as well as metal particles. Dissolved titanium species have been found to be associated with the structure/diversity of the subgingival plaque microbiome and the extent of global methylation. Of note, peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis are common biological complications of implant therapy. Microorganisms and local inflammation together with a gradient of oxygen have been proven to form an electrochemical fuel cell, which generates the current that flows through the body of the titanium implant. Effectively, the fuel cell reduces oxygen and oxidizes titanium that turns into a soluble form. We are proposing a new zirconia-titanium composite implant design whereby the electrical current is disrupted while other properties are still conducive to osseointegration. Methodology Biocompatible zirconia bolts were treated with hydrofluoric acid (HF) and coated with titanium in a vacuum evaporator.The coating was masked with nail polish, and unmasked areas were etched with HF followed by mask removal with a solvent.Microbial challenges were conducted with a volunteer's plaque.Regular implant (control) and the prototype were inserted into simulated peri-implant environments implemented as a fiberglass sleeve immersed into a growth medium.After a five-day growth, samples were taken and HNO3 digested. Dissolved titanium was evaluated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results Proof-of-concept implant prototypes were successfully created.Vacuum deposition results in reproducible stable titanium coating. The thickness of the titanium coating was estimated using atomic force microscopy.A microbial challenge revealed that compared to the commercial titanium implant, the new implant prototype showed decreased amounts of corrosion-leached titanium. Conclusions We demonstrate a path forward toward a new design of a dental implant, whereby corrosion-induced electrical currents are interrupted resulting in a decreased amount of dissolved titanium.

Slurry Coating of Hydroxyapatite on Zirconia Substrate.

Zirconia dental implants require excellent biocompatibility and high bonding strength. In this study, we attempted to fabricate biocompatible zirconia ceramics through surface modification by hydroxyapatite (HA) slurry coating. A hydroxyapatite slurry for spin coating was prepared using two sizes of hydroxyapatite particles. The hydroxyapatite slurry was obtained by adjusting the solid loading, pH range, and dispersant content. The surface roughness of the HA-coated layers on the zirconia substrate depended on the change in microstructural evolution and coating thickness. With repeated coating, the coating thickness gradually increased for both small and large particles. The specimen with two coatings had the maximum surface roughness but displayed different values depending on the size of the HA particles. High surface roughness (Ra; 0.49 μm) could be obtained from the slurry of small particles compared with that of the large particles (Ra; 0.35 μm). During a 14 days in vitro experiment in SBF solution at pH 7.4, no changes were observed in the surface microstructure of the HA coating layer on the zirconia substrate.

Breakthrough of ZrO2 nanoparticles into fetal brains depends on developmental stage of maternal placental barrier and fetal blood-brain-barrier

Ingestion of nanoparticles may cause various damages to human body. However, how such ingestion by pregnant mother influences fetal development is not known because, presumably, ingested nanoparticles have to cross multiple biological barriers (such as intestinal and placental) to reach fetus. To answer this crucial question, here we investigated how a relatively biocompatible zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs, 16 nm) were translocated to fetal brains in three exposure models of pregnant mice: Model 1, oral exposure of nanoparticles before maternal blood-placental barrier (BPB) was fully developed; Model 2, exposures after BPB was developed, but before fetal blood-brain-barrier (BBB) was fully developed; Model 3, exposures after both maternal BPB and fetal BBB were fully developed. Our experimental results showed that translocation of ZrO2 NPs into fetal brains was 55 % higher in Model 2 and 96 % higher in Model 1 compared with that in Model 3 after nanoparticles (50 mg/kg) were orally exposed to pregnant mice. Therefore, nanoparticles are able to cross multiple biological barriers and nanotoxicity to fetus is highly dependent on stages of pregnancy and fetal development or the maturity of multiple biological barriers. Oral exposures to nanoparticles during pregnancy are dangerous to fetal brain development, especially in early pregnancy.

The sensitivity of contact stresses in the mandibular premolar region to the shape of Zirconia dental implant: A 3D finite element study

Abstract Background: Implant thread profile plays a vital role in magnitude and distribution of contact stresses at the implant-bone interface. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical effects of four distinct thread profiles of a dental implant in the mandibular premolar region. Methods: The dental implant represented the biocompatible Zirconia material and the bone block was modelled as transversely isotropic and elastic material. Three-dimensional finite element simulations were conducted for four distinct thread profiles of a dental implant at 50%, 75%, and 100% osseointegration. An axial static load of 500 N was applied on the abutment surface to estimate the stresses acting within the bones surrounding the implant. Results: Regions of stress concentration were seen mostly along the mesiodistal direction compared to that in the buccolingual direction. The cortical bone close to the cervical region of the implant and the cortical bone next to the first thread of the implant experienced peak stress concentration. Increasing the degree of osseointegration resulted in increased von-Mises stresses on the implant-cortical transition region, the implant-cancellous transition region, the cortical bone, and the cancellous bone. Conclusion: The results show that the application of distinct thread profiles at different degrees of osseointegration had significant effect on the stresses distribution contours in the surrounding bony structure. Comparing all four thread profiles, a dental implant with V-thread profile induced lower values of von-Mises stresses and shear stresses on the implant-cortical transition region, implant-cancellous transition region, cortical bone, and cancellous bone.

Synthesis and characterization of biocompatible zirconia nanofibers based on electrospun PVP/Zr(OPr)4

Zirconia-based bioceramics are one of the most attractive class of biomaterials due to their excellent properties. In the present study, a novel approach was applied for the fabrication of PVP/Zr(OPr)4 fibers via electrospinning of a mixed solution obtained from polyvinylpyrrolidone and zirconium (IV) propoxide as the spinning aid and the zirconium source, respectively. After calcinations of the as-spun fibers at 850 °C for 2 hours, with mean diameter of 400 nm, ZrO2 nanofibers having diameters of about 98 nm could be successfully obtained in tetragonal phase and maintained their excellent fibrous morphology. The obtained materials were characterized by TGA, SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR techniques. The results indicated that the prepared materials in the form of fibers would be useful for load-bearing biomedical applications such dental composites and bone tissue engineering.

Dual properties of zirconia coated porous titanium for a stiffness enhanced bio-scaffold

Porous titanium (Ti)-based scaffolds are a promising approach for achieving stiffness reduction. To be used as a biomaterial, porous Ti scaffolds (P-Ti) must have suitable wear and corrosion resistance and the generation of either metallic wear debris or Ti ion release should be insignificant throughout a large timescale. The present study combines a porous structure appropriate for cell ingrowth with a physically and chemically stable thin-film coating to create a load-bearing bio-inspired scaffold. The as-designed zirconia-coated P-Ti (Z-P-Ti) was made via a hydrothermal process, followed by a sol-gel method. Mechanical tests were conducted primarily on P-Ti, and chemical stability tests were conducted on Z-P-Ti. The biocompatibility test results correlated with cell mitigation into Z-P-Ti were compared with those for reference surfaces. The results show that Z-P-Ti is load-bearable with an increased surface hardness and roughness. 3T3 cell morphology and viability assessed using the live/dead cell staining protocol show a significant enhancement of cell affinity on the surface of Z-P-Ti. The combination of porous Ti, a load-bearable structure, and biocompatible zirconia coating makes the designed biomaterial promising for many applications, such as vertebral discs.

Material Fatigue Research for Zirconia Ceramic Dental Implant: a Comparative Laboratory and Simulation Study in Dentistry

This research focuses on the biocompatible zirconia ceramic (ZrO2) material and load behavior causing fatigue on the surface of the dental implant in dentistry. Fatigue fracture and wear have been identi ed as some of the major problems associated with implant loosening, stress-shielding and ultimate implant failure. A static and cyclic fatigue testing of ceramic dental implant in laboratory conditions for this investigation were carried out according to the ISO protocol 14801 under worst-case conditions. A nite element analysis (FEA) of dental implant with accurate geometry and material properties were developed to make realistic investigations on biocompatibility of the implant biomaterial properties and mechanical fatigue behavior of new dental implant comparing Von-Mises criteria and maximum stress levels. The comparison of calculated fatigue life simulation data of and experimental data for the biocompatible zirconia ceramic dental implants is presented. As a conclusion zirconium implant exceeded the established values for maximum incisal bite forces reported in the literature and and also shows better performance than titanium implant material. The results of fatigue of biocompatible zirconia analysis are helpful for implant biomaterial selection and design for clinical interest in dentistry.

Opportunities in nano-structured metal oxides based biosensors

Nanomaterials are presently at the critical stage of the next technological revolution in solid-state electronics and are emerging as new structural materials, to serve as systems for controlled drug delivery, biomolecular electronics and are considered to have considerable impact in practically all domains of science. Among the various types of nanomaterials that have been developed, nanostructured metal oxides (NSMOs) have recently aroused much interest as immobilizing matrices for biosensors development. The unique properties of NSMOs offer excellent prospects for interfacing biological recognition events with electronic signal transduction and for designing a new generation of bioelectronics devices that may exhibit novel functions. Among the NSMOs, biocompatible zirconia (ZrO2) and its composite especially with chitosan and carbon nanotubes are technologically important exhibits high bioactivity for biomolecules with rapid rand enhanced electrochemical signal. Efforts are being continuously made to explore the prospects and future challenges of NSMOs for the development of biosensing devices.

A novel urea biosensor based on zirconia

Electrochemically deposited biocompatible zirconia (ZrO 2) film on gold coated glass electrodes has been utilized for the fabrication of urea biosensor. The prepared ZrO 2 films and bioelectrodes have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical techniques, respectively. The urea biosensor, fabricated by immobilizing mixed enzyme [urease (Urs) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH)] on this nanobiomaterial, shows linearity up to 40 mg dL − 1 of analyte (urea) and sensitivity of 0.071 μA/(mM cm − 2 ) with stability up to 4 months when stored at 4 °C. The low value of Michaelis–Menten constant ( K m ) estimated using Hans plot as 0.5 mM indicates enhancement in the affinity and/or activity of enzyme attached to this nanostructured biocompatible matrix.

Use of Zirconia ceramic in the DexAide right ventricular assist device blood journal bearing

Objective: To evaluate the effects of replacing the titanium (Ti)stator housing in the DexAide right ventricular assist device with one fabricated from biocompatible Zirconia oxide(Zr)ceramic. Methods: Pump hydraulic performance,journal bearing reliability,biocompatibility,and motor efficiency of the Zr stator were evaluated in vitro and in vivo (4 chronic bovine experiments) and compared with those using the Ti stator. Results: Compared with the Ti stator,the Zr stator showed increased battery life by 38% from 8 hours and 55 minutes on fully charged batteries at 2,500 rpm and 5.0 L/min to 12 hours and 20 minutes.In vitro hydraulic performance was unchanged with the exception of a 20% decrease in power consumption when using the Zr stator. Average in vivo pump flows and speeds using a Zr stator were comparable to the average values for 14 prior Ti stator in vivo studies with the exception of a 19% reduction in power consumption.Hemolysis and platelet aggregation tests were comparable for both stator types.Post explant evaluation of the Zr blood journal bearing surfaces showed no biologic deposition or signs of wear indicating favorable biocompatibility. Conclusions: The results of these studies showed that Zr ceramic can be used as a hemocompatible material to improve motor efficiency while maintaining hydraulic performance in a blood journal bearing application.