The Photoelectric Behavior and Antimicrobial Effect of Titanium Dioxide Deposition for Dental Implants

This work presents a pilot study on the photoelectric effect of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) deposited on grade 4 titanium discs on their antimicrobial properties, especially for dental implants applications. The prepared specimens are characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy to ensure a homogenous coverage of the TiO2 material on the discs. The samples were further tested to outline the photoelectric response of titanium dioxide to ultraviolet radiation in the form of electrical current within the discs. Six discs (three bare Ti, and three coated with TiO2) were seeded with a 5 μl of Escherichia coli culture. One disc of each group was subjected to the same UV light source used for the opto-electrical analysis for 0, 1 or 5 minutes. Bacteria on the discs were then harvested and incubated to examine number of viable cells. The obtained electrical properties confirmed the suitability of the surface-coating to provide simultaneous oxidation-reduction driven reactions under the photoinduced catalytic activity. This activity highlighted the benefits of the added TiO2 layer in reducing the numbers of active E-Coli bacteria in a microbial setup by as much as 21% after 5 minutes of UV exposure. This photoelectrical effect has a profound impact on the development of an in-situ oral disinfectant material deposited on titanium-based dental implants.