LL-37 Peptide Enhances Dental Implant Soft Tissue Seal and Fights Bacteria

Dental implants are a popular and effective solution for tooth replacement, but their long-term success can be compromised by peri-implantitis, an inflammatory condition affecting the tissues surrounding the implant. A robust soft tissue seal around the implant is critical to prevent bacterial invasion and maintain implant stability. Current titanium implant surfaces often struggle to optimally promote this seal and resist bacterial colonization. This study investigates whether biofunctionalizing titanium dental implants with the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 can improve soft tissue integration and prevent bacterial adhesion, thereby optimizing the 'race to the surface' where host cells outcompete bacteria.

The LL-37-biofunctionalized titanium implants significantly improved soft tissue integration and demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity. In vitro, fibroblast adhesion was enhanced by 68% (p<0.001) on LL-37 surfaces compared to uncoated titanium, and epithelial cell migration was 2.3-fold higher. Bacterial colonization by P. gingivalis was drastically reduced by 96% (p<0.0001) on the modified surfaces. In the in vivo rat model, the LL-37 implants exhibited a 45% increase in soft tissue attachment strength and a 30% reduction in inflammatory cytokine expression (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α) after 4 weeks. The LL-37-biofunctionalized titanium implants achieved a 2.5-fold increase in fibroblast adhesion and a 95% reduction in bacterial colonization compared to uncoated implants, leading to a significantly improved soft tissue seal and reduced inflammatory response in vivo.