Self-Powered Oxygen Microbubble Generator for Decontamination of Anaerobic Biofilm-Fouled Bioimplants

Abstract

Biomedical devices often feature a microgap: confined, minuscule spaces that foster bacterial infiltration and biofilm formation. For instance, peri-implantitis with prevalence rates of 4.7–45% at the patient level is a major complication driven by biofilm infections, characterized by chronic inflammation and implant failure. Anaerobic biofilm residing within the microgap serves as a major source of the peri-implantitis, but tools that remove the biofilm are lacking. Therefore, this study presents a novel preventive strategy employing self-powered microbubbler (SM) for targeted decontamination of micrographs in dental implants. SMs are assembled by doping diatoms with MnO₂ nanosheets. These particles are activated to generate O₂ microbubbles in H₂O₂ solution via catalase-mimetic activity and can penetrate the biofilm structures. The resulting oxygen bubbles induce effective mechanical disruption and oxygenation within biofilm-mimicking gelatin hydrogels and Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilms found in the peri-implantitis-affected implants. Such biofilm removal from the microgap restored mechanical stability at implant abutment-fixture connections and reduced bacterial leakage. Multispecies biofilms from patient-derived implants were similarly decontaminated with the mixture of SM-H₂O₂ outperforming conventional antiseptics like 0.2% chlorhexidine and 3% H₂O₂ alone. This innovative approach extends beyond dental implants to address biofilm-associated challenges in various biomedical devices with microgap vulnerabilities. Overall, SM-based treatments will offer an efficient and nondamaging solution to enhance the sterility and longevity of various bioimplants with intricated and confined structure.