The effects of diode laser on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide adherent to titanium oxide surface of dental implants. An in vitro study.

Effective decontamination of biofilm and bacterial toxins from the surface of dental implants is a yet unresolved issue. This in vitro study aims at providing the experimental basis for possible use of diode laser (λ 808 nm) in the treatment of peri-implantitis. Staphylococcus aureus biofilm was grown for 48 h on titanium discs with porous surface corresponding to the bone-implant interface and then irradiated with a diode laser (λ 808 nm) in noncontact mode with airflow cooling for 1 min using a Ø 600-μm fiber. Setting parameters were 2 W (400 J/cm2) for continuous wave mode; 22 μJ, 20 kHz, 7 μs (88 J/cm2) for pulsed wave mode. Bactericidal effect was evaluated using fluorescence microscopy and counting the residual colony-forming units. Biofilm and titanium surface morphology were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In parallel experiments, the titanium discs were coated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), laser-irradiated and seeded with RAW 264.7 macrophages to quantify LPS-driven inflammatory cell activation by measuring the enhanced generation of nitric oxide (NO). Diode laser irradiation in both continuous and pulsed modes induced a statistically significant reduction of viable bacteria and nitrite levels. These results indicate that in addition to its bactericidal effect laser irradiation can also inhibit LPS-induced macrophage activation and thus blunt the inflammatory response. The λ 808-nm diode laser emerges as a valuable tool for decontamination/detoxification of the titanium implant surface and may be used in the treatment of peri-implantitis.