ABSTRACT
Dental implant surfaces and their unique properties can interact with the surrounding oral tissues through epigenetic cues. The present scoping review provides current perspectives on surface modifications of dental implants, their impact on the osseointegration process, and the interaction between implant surface properties and epigenetics, also in peri-implant diseases. Findings of this review demonstrate the impact of innovative surface treatments on the epigenetic mechanisms of cells, showing promising results in the early stages of osseointegration. Dental implant surfaces with properties of hydrophilicity, nanotexturization, multifunctional coatings, and incorporated drug-release systems have demonstrated favorable outcomes for early bone adhesion, increased antibacterial features, and improved osseointegration. The interaction between modified surface morphologies, different chemical surface energies, and/or release of molecules within the oral tissues has been shown to influence epigenetic mechanisms of the surrounding tissues caused by a physical-chemical interaction. Epigenetic changes around dental implants in the state of health and disease are different. In conclusion, emerging approaches in surface modifications for dental implants functionalized with epigenetics have great potential with a significant impact on modulating bone healing during osseointegration.
