Fluorine plasma etching modulates submicron topography, physico-chemical aging and biological responses of titanium dental implants

IF 6.3 1区医学 Q1 DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE

Dental Materials Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-17 DOI:10.1016/j.dental.2025.12.006

Frank Rupp , Barbara Illing , Nadja Felde , Zeqian Xu , Jacob Schultheiss , Evi Kimmerle-Müller , Leila Mohammadnejad , Stefanie Krajewski

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

Surface topography, surface chemistry, as well as wetting properties of dental titanium implants are decisive parameteres that modulate biological responses. Problems arise when the optimal wetting properties of as-fabricated implants are compromised by aging effects due to renewed contamination and renewed hydrophobization during storage.

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of plasma etching on titanium using fluorine-containing gases, focusing on submicron and nano-scale topographical changes, long-term wetting characteristics, hydrocarbon contaminations, and cellular and bacterial responses.

Methods

Machined titanium reference samples (M) were either plasma-treated by reactive ion etching with CF₄ and NF₃ gases (MCF4, MNF3), or modified by a superimposed nanotopography (Mnano). All samples were hydrophilized by O₂-plasma (new variants), further processed by 14 d storage (aged variants), and were characterized by FE-SEM, AFM, EDX, XPS, and contact angle analyses. Biological experiments were performed in vitro to evaluate possible effects of the prepared surfaces on soft and hard tissue cells by focal contact analysis, CCK8, and alizarin red staining, as well as on bacterial adhesion by crystal violet staining.

Results

CF₄ and NF₃ plasma treatments generated a tight network of submicron pores. MNF3 showed distinct physico-chemical non-aging properties with long-lasting hydrophilicity. The new surface of MNF3 significantly reduced the adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii. However, neither MCF4 nor MNF3 significantly improved the cellular response. In contrast, the highest number of HGF focal contacts indicating improved soft tissue attachment was observed on aged M and Mnano surfaces. Furthermore, HGF metabolic activity declined on new MCF4 and MNF3, compared to M and Mnano.

Significance

This study shows promising antibacterial potential of the new NF₃ plasma-etched titanium implant surface modification. However, this study also indicates that machined surfaces, due to their already promising soft tissue cellular responses, cannot simply be surpassed by novel fluorine plasma etched surface modifications. Therefore, a zonal arrangement of the transmucosal portion of implant and abutment areas with basal sealing and coronal antibacterial functionalities is suggested.

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氟等离子体刻蚀对钛牙种植体亚微米形貌、物理化学老化和生物反应的影响。

目的：牙钛种植体的表面形貌、表面化学和湿润特性是调节生物反应的决定性参数。当制备的植入物的最佳润湿性能受到老化效应的影响时，由于在储存过程中重新污染和重新疏水性，问题就出现了。本研究的主要目的是研究含氟气体等离子体蚀刻对钛的影响，重点关注亚微米和纳米尺度的地形变化、长期润湿特性、碳氢化合物污染以及细胞和细菌的反应。方法：用CF4和NF3气体（MCF4, MNF3）反应离子刻蚀等离子体处理加工后的钛参考样品(M)，或用叠加纳米形貌（Mnano）修饰。所有样品都经过o2等离子体（新变体）的亲水性处理，经过14 d的储存处理（老化变体），并通过FE-SEM， AFM， EDX， XPS和接触角分析进行了表征。体外生物实验通过局灶接触分析、CCK8和茜素红染色评价制备的表面对软硬组织细胞的可能影响，结晶紫染色评价制备的表面对细菌粘附的可能影响。结果：CF4和NF3等离子体处理产生了紧密的亚微米孔网络。MNF3具有明显的物理化学不老化性能和持久的亲水性。MNF3的新表面明显降低了gordonii链球菌的粘附。然而，MCF4和MNF3均未显著改善细胞应答。相比之下，在老化的M和Mnano表面上观察到的HGF焦点接触数量最多，表明软组织附着改善。此外，与M和Mnano相比，HGF在新MCF4和MNF3上的代谢活性下降。意义：本研究显示新型NF3等离子蚀刻钛种植体表面改性具有良好的抗菌潜力。然而，这项研究还表明，由于其已经有希望的软组织细胞反应，加工表面不能简单地被新型氟等离子体蚀刻表面修饰所超越。因此，建议种植体的跨粘膜部分和基牙区域的带状排列具有基底密封和冠状抗菌功能。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Dental Materials 工程技术-材料科学：生物材料

CiteScore

9.80

自引率

10.00%

发文量

290

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： Dental Materials publishes original research, review articles, and short communications. Academy of Dental Materials members click here to register for free access to Dental Materials online. The principal aim of Dental Materials is to promote rapid communication of scientific information between academia, industry, and the dental practitioner. Original Manuscripts on clinical and laboratory research of basic and applied character which focus on the properties or performance of dental materials or the reaction of host tissues to materials are given priority publication. Other acceptable topics include application technology in clinical dentistry and dental laboratory technology. Comprehensive reviews and editorial commentaries on pertinent subjects will be considered.