ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of a high-pressure sodium bicarbonate spray protocol to decontaminate implant surfaces intentionally inoculated with bacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty commercially pure titanium implants, 10 with machined surfaces and 10 with rough surfaces, were inoculated with Streptococcus sanguis and then submitted to a decontamination protocol using a high-pressure sodium bicarbonate spray device for 1 minute under aseptic conditions. RESULTS: After the application of the decontamination protocol, all bacterial cells were removed from the tested implants, regardless of surface roughness. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that regardless of the implant surface roughness, the protocol using high-pressure sodium bicarbonate spray for 1 minute, under aseptic conditions, was effective in removing all the viable bacterial cells.
