Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study
In patients with predisposing risk factors, bacterial colonization of dental implants can lead to periimplantitis (PI). Established individual treatment protocols can be effective, but antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biofilm formation may impede successful treatment, therefore requiring surgical...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| author | Kolja Lehmann Gabor Kadler Alexander Kalyanov Tiziano A. Schweizer Heinrich Walt Harald Essig |
| author_facet | Kolja Lehmann Gabor Kadler Alexander Kalyanov Tiziano A. Schweizer Heinrich Walt Harald Essig |
| author_sort | Kolja Lehmann |
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| description | In patients with predisposing risk factors, bacterial colonization of dental implants can lead to periimplantitis (PI). Established individual treatment protocols can be effective, but antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biofilm formation may impede successful treatment, therefore requiring surgical intervention. Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) combined with optical waveguides could eradicate such pathogens without the risk of new AMR emergence and reduce the need for surgery. In this pilot study, we investigated the waveguiding function of light-transmitting zirconium dioxide (ZrO<sub>2</sub>) dental implants of different diameters by quantifying their transmission spectrum, fraction of transmitted red-light intensity, and potential polarizing properties. In addition, PDI experiments involving in vitro grown <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> biofilms on ZrO<sub>2</sub> and titanium alloy (TAV) discs were performed. Colonized discs were treated with Methylene Blue (MB) photosensitizer before red-light illumination (670 nm) at various intensities. A reduction in bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) of up to 85% was observed on ZrO<sub>2</sub> discs. Meanwhile, the biofilms grown on TAV discs showed no significant reduction in CFUs. These findings make ZrO<sub>2</sub> a potential candidate in augmentative PDI treatment of PI. The successful use of PDI combined with waveguiding ZrO<sub>2</sub> dental implants can support the reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, thus advancing the WHO’s One Health approach of antibiotic stewardship. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c1ae2c68600a4c9ab993d1661fa691ea2025-08-20T02:28:24ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-04-0113485010.3390/microorganisms13040850Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot StudyKolja Lehmann0Gabor Kadler1Alexander Kalyanov2Tiziano A. Schweizer3Heinrich Walt4Harald Essig5Department of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandBiomedical Optics Research Laboratory, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, SwitzerlandIn patients with predisposing risk factors, bacterial colonization of dental implants can lead to periimplantitis (PI). Established individual treatment protocols can be effective, but antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and biofilm formation may impede successful treatment, therefore requiring surgical intervention. Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) combined with optical waveguides could eradicate such pathogens without the risk of new AMR emergence and reduce the need for surgery. In this pilot study, we investigated the waveguiding function of light-transmitting zirconium dioxide (ZrO<sub>2</sub>) dental implants of different diameters by quantifying their transmission spectrum, fraction of transmitted red-light intensity, and potential polarizing properties. In addition, PDI experiments involving in vitro grown <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> biofilms on ZrO<sub>2</sub> and titanium alloy (TAV) discs were performed. Colonized discs were treated with Methylene Blue (MB) photosensitizer before red-light illumination (670 nm) at various intensities. A reduction in bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) of up to 85% was observed on ZrO<sub>2</sub> discs. Meanwhile, the biofilms grown on TAV discs showed no significant reduction in CFUs. These findings make ZrO<sub>2</sub> a potential candidate in augmentative PDI treatment of PI. The successful use of PDI combined with waveguiding ZrO<sub>2</sub> dental implants can support the reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, thus advancing the WHO’s One Health approach of antibiotic stewardship.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/4/850periimplantitiszirconium dental implantstitanium dental implantsphotodynamic inactivation (PDI)One Health approach<i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> |
| spellingShingle | Kolja Lehmann Gabor Kadler Alexander Kalyanov Tiziano A. Schweizer Heinrich Walt Harald Essig Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study Microorganisms periimplantitis zirconium dental implants titanium dental implants photodynamic inactivation (PDI) One Health approach <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> |
| title | Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study |
| title_full | Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study |
| title_short | Zirconium Dental Implants as Potential Optical Waveguides in Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial Biofilms—A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | zirconium dental implants as potential optical waveguides in photodynamic inactivation of bacterial biofilms a pilot study |
| topic | periimplantitis zirconium dental implants titanium dental implants photodynamic inactivation (PDI) One Health approach <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/4/850 |
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