Titanium oxide is now the commonly used material in the manufacture of dental implants, and this has shown to reduce infection due to the material’s antibiotic properties.
In an attempt to further reduce bone loss in the implant region, coating implants with antibiotic substances that dissolve faster immediately following implant placement can also help to reduce infection, especially in the initial stages.
Trials have been done to cover the implants with morpheonetic proteins and also with synthetic hydroxyapatite, which enhance the re-growth of jawbone in the implant regions, encouraging faster osseointegration.
The latest pioneering research is to find biomaterials which will induce bone cells to act as stem cells that can grow new bone cells.