A comprehensive review: Different approaches for encountering of bacterial infection of dental implants and improving their properties

Recent years have seen implants becoming increasingly prominent in the health field and the revival of damaged organs. Since implants are objects implanted in the body as a piece of tissue or a prosthetic device, the existence of planktonic bacteria on their surface can increase the risks induced by infections and the formation of biofilm. Infections can cause severe pain and even death in some cases. Despite developments in the medical field, the risk of infection after orthopedic surgery is estimated at 2–5%, emphasizing the importance of this subject. Biofilm infections destroy adjacent tissues and eject the implant. On the other hand, the formation of biofilm prevents antibiotic delivery to the objective organ, so infections are difficult to treat. The conventional drug treatment system has many limitations, such as overdose, the need for hospitalization, toxicity, low efficacy, and poor biological distribution. So, topical delivery has been a promising solution to overcome these limitations. Here, a compilation of approaches was attempted to improve implants, in particular dental implants, to combat infections. According to the results reported in the literature, using antibiotic-loaded implants, metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs), polymers, and antimicrobial peptides as a targeted drug-delivery system can be considered as solutions for decreasing these risks.