Dental implant surgery has a relatively high incidence of peri-implantitis. In this research, ZnO nanorods and ZnO nanospheres were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. ZnO nanorods first covered the surface of Ti or Ti–Zr, and ZnO nanospheres were then modified as the outermost layer. By these means a dual antibacterial effect could be realized by the rapid release of ZnO nanospheres and the sustained release of ZnO nanorods. Subsequent studies implied that this ZnO nanorods–nanospheres hierarchical structure (NRS) could be stably loaded on the surface of roughened Ti and Ti–Zr slices. The modified materials not only showed excellent antibacterial activities against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus but also showed low cellular cytotoxicity. This ZnO NRS structure is thus expected to be used as a general antimicrobial coating on the surface of Ti (Ti–Zr) in dental implant surgery.

Objectives To investigate the potential for pulpal regeneration via autologous transplantation of deciduous tooth pulp into immature necrotic permanent teeth using an experimental dog model. Methods Experimental apical periodontitis was induced in 60 teeth of six Beagle dogs. Following canal disinfection and pulpotomy, autologous deciduous pulp tissue was transplanted into the root canals (n = 30); as controls, contralateral teeth were treated in accordance with the recommendations of the American Association of Endodontists. Radiographic examinations were performed immediately before transplant, as well as 3 and 6 months after transplant. At the 6-month examination, root samples were collected and histological and immunohistochemical analyses were used to examine tissue regeneration. Results Radiographic analysis showed no significant differences in most histopathological parameters examined; however, apical diameter reduction was greater in the experimental group. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed that the canal walls of the experimental group had newly formed dentin-like tissue with dentinal tubules, while the control group had cementum-like deposits along the canal wall and apical foramina. Conclusions Autologous transplantation may be useful for regeneration of dental pulp in necrotic young permanent teeth.

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Good biological properties for titanium implants will shorten the treatment cycle and improve patient comfort, which are also the main goals of dentistry and orthopaedics. At present, the biological properties of titanium implants are mainly enhanced in two aspects: their surface chemistry and surface morphology. In this study, a surface modification strategy combining bioactive trace elements with surface micromorphology modification was used to enhance the biological properties of pure titanium. A new coating incorporating silicon micropore/microsphere topography was prepared on a titanium plate by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technology. The properties of the coating and its effects on the adhesion and osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were further analyzed. The experimental results show that a coating doped with amorphous silicon with micropore/ microsphere topography was incorporated onto the titanium surface and the surface roughness in the treated groups was obviously higher than that in the Ti group. In vitro, the presence of a silicon-incorporating coating with a micropore/microsphere topography on the titanium surface significantly enhanced the initial adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. These results indicate that the silicon-incorporating coating with micropore/microsphere topography has potential applications in dentistry and orthopaedics.

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