Load-bearing capacity of an experimental dental implant made of Nb-1Zr.

Although implants have undergone a remarkable development over the past decades, modern implants still show complications that make the improvement of materials necessary. The presented study investigates the load-bearing capacity of an experimental dental implant made of a niobium alloy (Nb1Zr) compared to identical implants made of Ti6Al4V using chewing simulation for artificial aging. Eight implants each with an experimental design were manufactured from Nb1Zr and Ti6Al4V.

Automatic adjustment of dental crowns using Laplacian mesh editing.

Currently, the restoration of missing teeth by means of dental implants is a common treatment method in dentistry. Ensuring optimal contact between teeth (occlusion) when designing the occlusal surface of an implant-supported crown is crucial for the patient. Although there are various occlusal concepts and guidelines for achieving optimised occlusion, adapting an occlusal surface is challenging.

Structure and composition of early biofilms formed on dental implants are complex, diverse, subject-specific and dynamic.

Biofilm-associated peri-implant infections pose a major problem in modern medicine. The understanding of biofilm development is hampered by biofilm complexity and the lack of robust clinical models. This study comprehensively characterized the dynamics of early biofilm formation in the transmucosal passage of implant abutments in 12 patients.

Gradual Acidification at the Oral Biofilm-Implant Material Interface.

The colonization of dental implants by oral biofilms causes inflammatory reactions that can ultimately lead to implant loss. Therefore, safety-integrated implant surfaces are under development that aim to detect bacterial attachment at an early stage and subsequently release antibacterial compounds to prevent their accumulation. Since primary oral colonizers ferment carbohydrates leading to local acidification, pH is considered a promising trigger for these surfaces.

Optically accessible, 3D-printed flow chamber with integrated sensors for the monitoring of oral multispecies biofilm growth .

The formation of pathogenic multispecies biofilms in the human oral cavity can lead to implant-associated infections, which may ultimately result in implant failure. These infections are neither easily detected nor readily treated. Due to high complexity of oral biofilms, detailed mechanisms of the bacterial dysbiotic shift are not yet even fully understood.