Ambijet Treatment for Periimplantitis

Abstract

Cold plasma techniques previously have been shown to be effective in eliminating pathogenic bacteria and biofilm. In this work we focus on the application of a custom-made plasma jet for the in-situ disinfection of dental implants to treat periimplantitis. In order to assess the surface finish in relation to cell behavior, dental implant material was prepared as titanium discs The discs were infected with bacteria in a bioreactor and plasma-treated. Human gingival fibroblasts were seeded, cultivated and stained by conventional immunofluorescence. Differences in cell adhesion and morphology could be observed after only one day of incubation. In particular, plasma-treated discs appeared to have an advanced effect on early cell response and proliferation when compared to conventional dental implant material. Furthermore the disinfection efficancy was testet with natural biofilm with convincing results. The application of a plasma jet can not only successfully remove highly pathogenic bacteria, but also improve implant surface activation as well as accelerate cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, it can be considered an innovative means of treating periimplantitis. The device is developed according to medical standards and meets the stipulated requirements. With changeable applicators the device can be customized to different applications.