Bioactive coatings for titanium dental implants containing Sr/Zn phytates: osteogenic and antibacterial properties

Abstract

Materials science in the field of oral implantology is focused on the development of bioactive surfaces able to promote both osteogenic and antibacterial mechanisms. In this work, we propose an affordable and reproducible methodology for the fabrication of bioactive SAMs containing Sr/Zn phytate complexes. Phytate SAMs were fabricated by condensation reaction (pH 4) promoted by casting evaporation, and physicochemical features were studied by XPS, SEM, AFM and profilometry. In vitro biological studies performed with hObs cultures demonstrated the ability of modified surfaces for sustaining the cellular colonization and stimulating the ALP activity and the mineralization degree. Moreover, antibacterial assays performed with S. mutans cultures seeded over modified substrates corroborated the potential application of phytate-SAMs as bioactive coatings for titanium dental implants.