Aluminum from dental implants as a potential trigger of Alzheimer's disease: how to prevent aluminum dissolution?
Principal investigator
The presence of aluminum in a significant number of dental implants currently available indicates a potential risk arising from the harmful effects of aluminum on human health, in particular the development of neurodegenerative diseases. It should be noted that the oral cavity is an aggressive environment that can promote the degradation (corrosion) of the implant, allowing aluminum to enter the surrounding tissues, organs and bloodstream. One of the possible solutions is the functionalization of the implant surface with a protective coating based on drugs against bone diseases. The coating will additionally protect the surface of the implant and thus prevent dissolution (corrosion) and at the same time stimulate the process of osseointegration of the implant with the surrounding bone. By combining experiments (electrochemical, microscopic and spectroscopic measurements) and theory (DFT), the research team, which consists of a doctor of dental implantology and chemists with different profiles from three different institutions (IRB, FKIT and Adentro Dental Studio), will be able to to carry out the modification of the surface of a commercial implant with the presence of aluminum (6% atomic) bisphosphonate and collagen molecules and study how the coating formed affects the anticorrosive properties of implants in artificial saliva. The results obtained would allow manufacturers to control the surface properties of currently available implants and thus minimize the potential risks associated with the release of metal ions while providing safety to patients and ensuring a long implant life.