Application of totarol as natural antibacterial coating on dental implants for prevention of peri-implantitis

Peri-implantitis is the most important issue threatening the long-term survival rate of dental implants. Various efforts have been made to reduce implant surface plaque formation, which is one of the essential causes of peri-implantitis. In our study, we applied the natural antibacterial agent totarol as a coating on experimental silicon wafer and titanium implant surfaces. To analyze the interaction between the totarol coating and the oral primary colonizer S. gordonii and isolates of mixed oral bacteria, samples were incubated in a model system simulating the oral environment and analyzed by Live/Dead staining, crystal violet staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After 4 d, 8 d, 12 d, 16 d, and 24 d salivary incubation, the stability and antibacterial efficiency of totarol coating was evaluated through SEM. The results indicated that totarol coatings on both silicon wafer and Ti surfaces caused efficient contact killing and an inhibition effect towards S. gordonii and mixed oral bacterial film growth after 4 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 48 h incubation. After longtime salivary incubation of 12 d, the bactericidal effect started to weaken, but the anti-adhesion and inhibition effect to biofilm development still exist after 24 d of salivary incubation. The application of a totarol coating on implant or abutment surfaces is a promising potential prophylactic approach against peri-implantitis.