Investigation on the Osteogenic and Antibacterial Properties of Silicon Nitride-Coated Titanium Dental Implants.

The silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) coating exhibits promising potential in oral applications due to its excellent osteogenic and antibacterial properties. However, a comprehensive investigation of Si 3 N 4 coatings in the context of dental implants is still lacking, especially regarding their corrosion resistance and in vivo performance. In this study, Si 3 N 4 coatings were prepared on a titanium surface using the nonequilibrium magnetron sputtering method. A systematic comparison among the titanium group (Ti), Si 3 N 4 coating group (Si 3 N 4 -Ti), and sandblasted and acid-etched-treated titanium group (SLA-Ti) has been conducted in vitro and in vivo . The results showed that the Si 3 N 4 -Ti group had the best corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties, which were mainly attributed to the dense structure and chemical activity of Si-O and Si-N bonds on the surface. Furthermore, the Si 3 N 4 -Ti group exhibited superior cellular responses in vitro and new bone regeneration and osseointegration in vivo , respectively. In this sense, silicon nitride coating shows promising prospects in the field of dental implantology.