Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanospheres Coated on Dental Implants by Integrated Layer-by-Layer Coating Technique

Dental implant infections are a leading cause of implant failure, causing inflammation and bone loss. To combat such infections, a potential solution is the application of a nano-coating technique that utilizes nanotechnology and a drug delivery system to coat the implant surface. This study aimed to coat dental implants with poly(ε-caprolactone) nanospheres (PCL-NPs) loaded with minocycline (MC), an antibacterial agent, using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) coating technique involving dipping and spraying. The dental implants were coated for 30, 60, 90, and 120 cycles, respectively. The MC/PCL- NPs achieved drug-loading contents of 0.16 ± 0.03, 3.03 ± 0.99, 5.87 ± 0.69, and 6.48 ± 1.68 mg, respectively. The antibacterial study revealed that the release profile of minocycline from the coated dental implants effectively inhibited bacteria growth for a duration of three days. Keywords: Dental implant, nano-coating, nanospheres, poly(ε-caprolactone), minocycline, drug delivery system