Use of Silver Nanoparticles Reduces Internal Contamination of External Hexagon Implants by Candida albicans

Abstract: Since the dental implant/abutment interface cannot totally seal the passage of microorganisms, the interior of implant becomes a reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms that produce and maintain chronic inflammation in the tissues around implants. Silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) are potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of the nano-Ag to prevent the contamination of the implant internal surface byCandida albicans, caused by the implant/abutment microgap infiltration. Thirty-six implants were used in this experiment. Three study groups were performed: experimental group (implants receiving an application of nano-Ag in their inner cavity before installation of the abutment); positive-control group (implants receiving sterile phosphate buffer saline application instead of nano-Ag) and negative-control group (implants receiving the application of nano-Ag in the inner cavity and immersed in a sterile medium). In the positive-control and experimental groups, the implants were immersed in a Candida albicans suspension. The abutments of all three groups were screwed with a 10 N torque. After 72 h of immersion inC. albicans suspension or sterile medium, the abutments were removed and the inner surface of the implants was sampled with absorbent paper cone for fungal detection. No C. albicans contamination was observed in the negative-control group. The positive-control group showed statistically higher values of colony forming units (CFUs) of C. albicans compared with the experimental group. In conclusion, silver nanoparticles reduced C. albicans colonization inside the implants, even with low torque screw abutment.

Resumo: A interface implante/pilar não pode ser totalmente selada para passagem de microrganismos, com isso o interior do implante torna-se um reservatório de microrganismos patogênicos que promovem e mantêm a inflamação crônica nos tecidos em volta dos implantes. Nanopartículas de prata são agentes antimicrobianos potentes e de amplo espectro. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a capacidade das nanopartículas de prata em evitar a contaminação porCandida albicans do interior de implantes, originada da infiltração do fungo através da interface implante/pilar. 36 implantes foram utilizados neste experimento. Três grupos de estudo foram estabelecidos: grupo experimental (os implantes receberam aplicação de nanopartículas de prata na sua cavidade interna, antes da instalação do pilar); grupo controle positivo (os implantes receberam PBS estéril em vez das nanopartículas de prata) e grupo controle negativo (implantes receberam aplicação de nanopartículas de prata na cavidade interna, mas os implantes foram imersos em meio estéril). Nos grupos controle positivo e experimental, os implantes foram imersos em suspensão deCandida albicans. Os pilares protéticos de todos os grupos foram parafusados com torque de 10 N. Após 72 h imersos na suspensão deC. albicans ou em meio estéril, os pilares foram removidos e amostras da superfície interna dos implantes foram coletadas com cone de papel absorvente para a detecção de Candida. No grupo controle negativo não foi observada contaminação por C. albicans. O grupo-controle positivo mostrou valores de unidades formadoras de colônia deCandida estatisticamente maiores quando comparado com o grupo experimental. Conclui-se que nanopartículas de prata reduzem a colonização de C. albicans dentro dos implantes, mesmo quando o pilar é parafusado com torque baixo.

Characterization and antimicrobial performance of nano silver coatings on leather materials

In this study, the characterization and the antimicrobial properties of nano silver (nAg) coating on leather were investigated. For this purpose, turbidity, viscosity and pH of nAg solutions prepared by the sol-gel method were measured. The formation of films from these solutions was characterized according to temperature by Differential Thermal Analysis-Thermogravimetry (DTA-TG) equipment. The surface morphology of treated leathers was observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The antimicrobial performance of nAg coatings on leather materials to the test microorganisms as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillius niger was evaluated by the application of qualitative (Agar overlay method) and quantitative (percentage of microbial reduction) tests. According to qualitative test results it was found that 20 μg/cm2 and higher concentrations of nAg on the leather samples were effective against all microorganisms tested. Moreover, quantitative test results showed that leather samples treated with 20 μg/cm2 of nAg demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli with 99.25% bacterium removal, whereas a 10 μg/cm2 concentration of nAg on leather was enough to exhibit the excellent percentage reduction against S. aureus of 99.91%. The results are promising for the use of colloidal nano silver solution on lining leather as antimicrobial coating.