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Biofilms are a complex group of microbial cells that adhere to the exopolysaccharide matrix present on the surface of medical devices. Biofilm-associated infections in the medical devices pose a serious problem to the public health and adversely affect the function of the device. Medical implants used in oral and orthopedic surgery are fabricated using alloys such as stainless steel and titanium. The biological behavior, such as osseointegration and its antibacterial activity, essentially depends on both the chemical composition and the morphology of the surface of the device. Surface treatment of medical implants by various physical and chemical techniques are attempted in order to improve their surface properties so as to facilitate bio-integration and prevent bacterial adhesion. The potential source of infection of the surrounding tissue and antimicrobial strategies are from bacteria adherent to or in a biofilm on the implant which should prevent both biofilm formation and tissue colonization. This article provides an overview of bacterial biofilm formation and methods adopted for the inhibition of bacterial adhesion on medical implants.

In the area of materials science, corrosion of biomaterials is of paramount importance as biomaterials are required for the survival of the human beings suffering from acute heart diseases, arthritis, osteoporosis and other joint complications. The present article discusses various issues associated with biological corrosion of different kinds of implants used as cardio stents, orthopedic and dental implants. As the materials used for these implants are manifold starting from metallic materials such as stainless steel (SS), cobalt chromium, titanium and its alloys, bioceramics, composites and polymers are in constant contact with the aggressive body fluid, they often fail and finally fracture due to corrosion. The corrosion behavior of various implants and the role of the surface oxide film and the corrosion products on the failure of implants are discussed. Surface modification of implants, which is considered to be the best solution to combat corrosion and to enhance the life span of the implants and longevity of the human beings is dealt in detail and the recent advances in the coating techniques which make use of the superior properties of nanomaterials that lead to better mechanical properties and improved biocompatibility are also presented.

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