Antiadherent and antibacterial properties of TiO2-coated and TiO2:Ag-coated stainless steel orthodontic wires against S. mutans bacteria

Abstract

Purpose Conventional orthodontic treatment with stainless steel orthodontic wires may be detrimental to oral health, as it con-tributes to demineralized lesions and increases adhesion and bacterial biofilm formation, which contributes to cavity development. An alternative that has been investigated to reduce the side effects of orthodontic treatment is the use of coating materials with antimicrobial nanoparticles. This study aims to evaluate the antiadherent and antibacterial properties of TiO2-coated and TiO2:Ag-coated stainless steel orthodontic wires against S. mutans bacteria. Methods In the sol-gel method, TiO2:Ag thin films were deposited on stainless steel orthodontic wires. Coated archwires were analyzed for their antibacterial and antiadherent properties. The evaluation of Streptococcus mutans adhesion to the orthodontic wires’ surface was conducted according to the type of coating used, biofilm formation assay, and measure-ment of the pH of the bacterial community. Results In the microbiological test, the TiO2:Ag coatings revealed a statistically significant difference in terms of microbial adhesion and biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans. The TiO2:Ag coating on stainless steel wire increased pH levels in the saliva environment. Conclusions It can be concluded that antimicrobial orthodontic wires coated with silver-TiO2 nanoparticles using the sol-gel thin film are a promising choice for improving orthodontic treatment.

Use of Antimicrobial Silver Coatings on Fixed Orthodontic Appliances, Including Archwires, Brackets, and Microimplants: A Systematic Review

“…The study utilized minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and bacterial adherence testing, revealing a size of 30 nm for the AgNPs synthesized through chemical reduction. Bącela et al reported a significant reduction in S. mutans bacterial adhesion to stainless steel wires coated with TiO 2 : Ag, showing both antimicrobial activity and resistance to biofilm formation [ 19 ]. Gonçalves et al observed statistically significant reductions in biofilm formation by S. mutans and S. aureus on coated stainless-steel wires [ 20 ].…”

“…Nafarrate-Valdez et al demonstrated significant reductions in S. mutans adhesion and growth on AgNPs-coated orthodontic archwires [ 18 ]. Bącela et al reported a 74% decrease in S. mutans adhesion to stainless steel wires [ 19 ]. Moreover, Gonçalves et al found significant reductions in biofilm formation by S. mutans and S. aureus on coated stainless-steel wires [ 20 ].…”

“…Author, year Key findings Anand, 2023 [33] The bacterial cell membrane was disrupted by silver ions, as confirmed by TEM examination Bącela, 2022 [19] After 4 h, the TiO 2 : Ag coated surface exhibited a significant reduction in S. mutans bacterial adhesion to the wire, achieving a 74% decrease, statistically significant at a p-value less than 0.05. The utilization of stainless-steel wires with a TiO 2 : Ag coating provides not only suitable antimicrobial activity but also demonstrates resistance to biofilm formation Espinosa-Cristóbal, 2018 [10] The antimicrobial inhibition effects against S. mutans were superior in smaller AgNPs samples compared to larger AgNPs demonstrating significant differences between 2 groups (P<0.05).…”

“…Regarding the bacteria tested, different studies assessed the antimicrobial efficacy of silver-coated orthodontic materials against various strains (Table 1). For instance, S. mutans, a common bacterium associated with dental caries, was a recurrent choice for evaluating bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation [10,[18][19][20]23,22,25,27,28]. Other bacteria tested included S. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and Lactobacillus, representing a spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with different pathogenic characteristics [9,13,20,27,28].…”

Corrosion of Fixed Orthodontic Appliances: Causes, Concerns, and Mitigation Strategies

“…Kielan-Grabowska et al [400] produced TiO 2 layers containing Ag-NPs via the sol-gel dip-coating method on SS 316L orthodontic wires. The results revealed a significant decrease in the overall corrosion resistance of the coated samples, even though they might possess antimicrobial properties [400,401].…”