title: Microbial community composition on modified dental implant surfaces: an in vivo study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present in vivo study was to examine alterations of the microbial community structure in biofilms on different dental implant surfaces over the time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Zirconium nitride-coated glass (ZrN-glass) and ZrN-coated polished titanium (ZrN-Ti) disks were used as substrates and polished titanium (Ti-pol) was used as a control. The specimens were mounted on removable intraoral splints in one adult. After 24 hours and 14 days of intraoral exposure, the microbial biofilms were analyzed by generating 16S rRNA gene clone libraries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ZrN coating of a Ti surface altered the microbial composition early on (24 hours), with a tendency to augment Lactobacillus-related phylotypes later. Long-term exposure (14 days) of dental implant surfaces to microbes resulted in a significantly different composition of the biofilm on all three tested surfaces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study showed that a ZrN-Ti disk surface harbors a significantly different microbial composition from a polished Ti surface. Further improvement of ZrN physical vapor deposition coatings might help to influence the adhesion of bacteria that are less pathogenic, thereby reducing the risk of peri-implantitis.
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. ateequr.rehman@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors: Ateequr
authors: A
authors: Rehman
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Hu
authors: Stephan Johannes
authors: SJ
authors: Ott
authors: Birte
authors: B
authors: Grössner-Schreiber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000382:microbiology*; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium