Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Acc.V
Spot
Magn
Det
WD
1
µ
m
FIGURE 7.4
SEM image showing self-organized oxide nanotube layers grown
cp-Ti surface. Anodization for 30 min using ethylene glycol
electrolyte at 30 V and treated with 0.5 M NaOH for 15 min
resulted in nanotubes covered with a layer of sodium titanate.
Nanotubes—100 nm in diameter.
Peri-implantitis has become the common cause for dental implant failure. It is an inflammatory pro-
cess affecting the tissues around an osseointegrated implant in function, thereby resulting in loss of sup-
porting bone. There have been numerous mechanical and chemical agents used to clean the infected
implant surface. But achieving complete re-osseointegration with the implant surface is still a challenge.
Recent studies have explored the use of TiO
2
nanotubes as antibacterial drug carriers to prevent bacterial
adhesion, growth, and biofilm formation. TiO
2
nanotubes with 80 nm diameter and 400 nm lengths were
loaded with gentamicin
[40]
. The results indicated that the nanotubes can be effectively filled with the
drug and the drug-eluting nanotubes significantly reduced bacterial adhesion on the surface. This, fur-
ther enhanced osteoblast differentiation on nanotubes filled with gentamicin. Another recent study was
done on TiO
2
nanotubes coated with antibacterial drugs like penicillin/streptomycin and anti-inflam-
matory drug (dexamethasone) using simple physical adsorption
[41]
. The results showed that these
functionalized nanotubular surfaces increased osteoblast activity and proliferation. In an
in-vivo
study
in pigs, titanium implants covered with an ordered TiO
2
nanotube layer with an individual tube diam-
eter of 30 nm and 25 commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) implants were placed in the frontal skull
[42]
.
