Active stimulus-responsive implants

The treatment of peri-implantitis is one of the greatest challenges in modern dentistry. Due to the implant geometry and surface structure, the mechanical removal of the biofilm is significantly more complicated than at the root surface of natural teeth. The effectiveness of local antibiotic therapy is limited, while systemic antibiotic therapy often does not achieve sufficiently high concentrations of active substances in the inflammatory area and can also have undesirable side effects.

The aim of subproject B04, therefore, is to develop an active implant system that can be controlled by the attending physician without direct contact with the implant in the event of an infection. When this implant system is activated, the antibacterial agents stored in the implant are to be released via a channel system to the implant surface and into the surrounding tissue by means of a micropump located in the implant. Due to the precise controllability, antibacterial agents can be released in the desired dosage and within a defined period of time. In addition, repeated release of active substances is also possible. First of all, a suitable material must be found for this novel thin-walled implant that meets the mechanical requirements. In this context, an innovative extrusion process is established to provide the basic material, a biocompatible niobium-zirconium alloy (see figure), with sufficient cyclic mechanical strength. The developed materials are tested in vitro under simulated masticatory forces and their microstructure and resilience are determined by extensive analyses, including light and electron microscopic methods.