Publication:

Nanotechnology in dental implantology

Nanotechnology has expanded dental implant surface engineering from conventional macro- and microscale modification to deliberate control of surface characteristics at the nanometre scale. Nanostructured surfaces can modify surface chemistry, energy, roughness, wettability and topography, thereby influencing protein adsorption, cellular adhesion, differentiation and bone formation. Titanium and its alloys remain the principal materials for endosseous dental implants, while nanoscale modification using titanium dioxide nanotubes, hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate, metallic nanoparticles, bioactive glass, polymers and hybrid coatings has been investigated to improve biological performance. Systematic evidence supports promising preclinical antibacterial effects of TiO₂ nanotubes, but clinical translation remains limited. Studies also emphasize the potential of nano-engineered surfaces to modulate inflammation, osteogenesis, corrosion resistance and localized drug delivery.