BUFFALO, New York: Researchers at the University of Buffalo and the University of Regensburg has recently led to findings that the surface of medical and dental implants has been executing a vital role in the adsorption of proteins present in the oral cavity and the colonization by undesired microorganisms.
When the dental implants have been inserted in the mouth, saliva and blood plasma coated them immediately. From these fluids, the implants adsorb a thin layer of proteins. This layer would help gum tissue attach and allow unwanted microorganisms to grow on the implant surface.
Therefore, the research conducted by Jutta Lehnfeld and colleagues increased the understanding of this complex biological process by examining the composition of the protein layer and determining the control factors by chemically modifying the biomaterial surface.
The researchers found the biomaterial's surface directly impacted the adsorption of proteins from saliva. The findings that adsorption was lower on surfaces with a negative charge or that repelled water countered the results of previous studies.
While using silica beads designed in Müller's lab with various chemically modified surfaces, researchers found that the amount of protein adsorbed influenced the adsorption of proteins from blood plasma more than by the composition of the protein layer.
R. Muller, the co-author of the research, said that the ultimate goal to connect surface properties to protein adsorption to achieve the optimal tissue compatibility and prevent microbial adhesion would not likely be as straightforward as expected."
Stefan Ruhl, the co-lead research investigator, said that this study was the groundwork for improving the success of medical and dental implants.
The research "Saliva and Serum Protein Adsorption on Chemically Modified Silica Surfaces" has recently been published in the Journal of Dental Research.
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