Review of microbiologically influenced corrosion of dental metallic materials: Biofilm-mediated mechanisms, key determinants, and anticorrosion strategies.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) poses a significant threat to the integrity and service life of the surfaces of dental metallic materials prostheses and implants. Microorganisms forming biofilms alter the local environmental conditions on the surface of biomaterials and exacerbate biocorrosion processes. When oral metallic materials undergo corrosion, the leached toxic ions may cause inflammatory reactions, sensitization, and teratogenicity. However, little is known about the specific roles of different oral microorganisms in these corrosion mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of MIC is crucial for improving the biosafety and clinical performance of dental materials. This review provides a systematic overview of MIC in the oral cavity, covering biofilm characteristics, microbial metabolites, corrosion mechanisms, typical corrosion behavior, and current preventive strategies. A major limitation of existing research is the predominant use of single- or dual-species models, which fail to reflect the complexity of the oral ecosystem; this complexity may either mitigate or exacerbate corrosion risks, and must be addressed in future research. MIC of dental metallic materials is a multidisciplinary field of research that can apply methodologies from materials science, corrosion science and biology to further investigate the mechanisms by which oral microorganisms corrode dental metallic materials, thereby guiding the development of advanced materials that combine corrosion resistance, biocompatibility and environmental sustainability.