Dental Tribune U.S.Edition No.2, 2017

B2 FROM PAGE 1 Implant Tribune U.S. Edition | February 2017 Belgian researchers develop implant that releases antimicrobial drugs to prevent, fight infections By Dental Tribune International ger form a biofilm.” Bacterial and fungal patho- gens can form a biofilm on dental implants that is resistant to antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics. As a result, these implants pose a signifi- cant risk of infection. A multidisci- plinary team of researchers at KU Leuven in Belgium has developed a dental implant that gradually releases such drugs from an inte- grated reservoir. The antimicrobial liquid could help prevent and fight infections. “Our implant has a built-in res- ervoir underneath the crown of the tooth,” explained lead author Dr. Kaat De Cremer. “A cover screw makes it easy to fill this reservoir with antimicrobial drugs. The im- plant is made of a porous composite material, so that the drugs gradu- ally diffuse from the reservoir to the outside of the implant, which is in direct contact with the bone cells. As a result, the bacteria can no lon- AD In the laboratory, the implant was subjected to various tests for use with chlorhexidine, a universal mouthwash with a powerful anti- microbial effect. The study that shows the Streptococcus mutans bacterium, a major contributor to tooth decay, is prevented from forming a bio- film on the surface of the implant when the reservoir is filled with the mouthwash. Furthermore, biofilms that were grown beforehand on the implant could be eliminated in the same way. This indicates that the im- plant would be effective in terms of both preventing and curing in- fections. titled This study, “Controlled release of chlorhexidine from a mesoporous silica-containing mac- roporous titanium dental implant prevents microbial biofilm forma- tion,” was published online in Janu- ary in Volume 33 of the European Cells and Materials journal. “ RESEARCH, Page B1 weeks post-surgery. implants Although in both groups achieved osseointegration by the end of the 12th week, the healing process differed significantly between non-smokers and heavy smokers. In non-smokers, stability improved and implants began to better in- tegrate into the bone after the second week. In the smoking group, however, im- plants only began to osseointegrate and become more stable after the third week. Despite successful short-term outcomes in both groups, smokers experienced more problems, including greater bone loss around the implants and deeper soft-tissue pockets. However, smoking had no signifi- cant effect on plaque build-up or sulcular bleeding in the study group. In light of the findings, the research- ers suggested that surgeons might need to change their standard implant loading schedule for patients who smoke heavily. In addition, smokers should be aware that their habit promotes the loss of mar- ginal bone and the further development of dental pockets and could thereby lead to complications even after osseointegration, the researchers concluded. The report, titled “Effect of heavy smok- ing on dental implants placed in male pa- tients posterior mandibles: A prospective clinical study,” was conducted by research- ers at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an in China. The results were published in the December 2016 issue of the Journal of Oral Implantol- IMPLANT TRIBUNE PUBLISHER & CHAIRMAN Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com GROUP EDITOR Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com MANAGING EDITOR IMPLANT TRIBUNE Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com MANAGING EDITOR Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com MANAGING EDITOR Robert Selleck, r.selleck@dental-tribune.com PRODUCT/ACCOUNT MANAGER Humberto Estrada h.estrada@dental-tribune.com PRODUCT/ACCOUNT MANAGER Will Kenyon w.kenyon@dental-tribune.com PRODUCT/ACCOUNT MANAGER Maria Kaiser m.kaiser@dental-tribune.com EDUCATION DIRECTOR Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com CLIENT RELATIONS COORDINATOR Leerol Colquhoun l.colquhoun@dental-tribune.com Tribune America, LLC 116 West 23rd Street, Suite 500 New York, NY 10011 Phone (212) 244-7181 Fax (212) 244-7185 Published by Tribune America © 2017 Tribune America, LLC

Dental Tribune U.S.Edition No.2, 2017

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