Emerging titanium surface modifications: The war against polymicrobial infections on dental implants

Dental implants made of titanium (Ti) material is recognized as the leading treatment option for edentulous patients’ rehabilitation, showing a high success rate and clinical longevity. However, dental implant surface acts as a platform for microbial adhesion and accumulation once exposed to the oral cavity. Biofilm formation on implant surfaces has been considered the main etiologic factor to induce inflammatory diseases, known as peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis; the latter being recognized as the key reason for late dental implant failure. Different factors, such as biofilm matrix production, source of carbohydrate exposure, and cross-kingdom interactions, have encouraged increased microbial accumulation on dental implants, leading to a microbiological community shift from a healthy to a pathogenic state, increasing inflammation and favoring tissue damage. These factors combined with the spatial organization of biofilms, reduced antimicrobial susceptibility, complex microbiological composition, and the irregular topography of implants hamper biofilm control and microbial killing. In spite of the well-known etiology, there is still no consensus regarding the best clinical protocol to control microbial accumulation on dental implant surfaces and treat peri-implant disease. In this sense, different coatings and Ti surface treatments have been proposed in order to reduce microbial loads and control polymicrobial infections on implantable devices. Therefore, this critical review aims to discuss the current evidence on biofilm accumulation on dental implants and central factors related to the pathogenesis process of implant-related infections. Moreover, the potential surface modifications with anti-biofilm properties for dental implant devices is discussed to shed light on further promising strategies to control peri-implantitis.