Silver nanoparticle-antimicrobial peptide supramolecular nanocomposite coating improves implant osseointegration under mechanical loading

Background Long-term implant success depends on preventing infection and achieving initial stability, yet many antimicrobial coatings impair osseointegration, and most animal models overlook the impact of mechanical loading. To overcome the limitations of static in vivo models that do not reflect the mechanical environment of dental implants, this study developed a loaded animal model that evaluates the osteogenic properties of an Ag-GL coating under clinically relevant biomechanical forces.Methods Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized with a redox reaction, while the antimicrobial peptide GL13K was self-assembled into nanofibers that adsorbed AgNPs, forming the Ag-GL nanocoating on titanium. A loaded rat tibial mini-implant infection model compared uncoated and Ag-GL-coated implants for bone microarchitecture, implant stability, peri-implant infection, and mineralization.Results Preosteoblasts cultured on Ag-GL coatings showed reduced cytotoxicity, healthy cell morphology, increased osteogenic differentiation, and increased matrix mineralization. Micro-CT analysis revealed increased bone formation around Ag-GL-coated implants, and the pull-out test demonstrated superior implant stability. Higher bone mineral apposition rates (MAR) and bone area (BA) were observed around Ag-GL-coated implants.Conclusion Ag-GL nanocoating exhibited substantial osteogenic properties and osseointegration in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its potential to improve implant outcomes in dental applications by enhancing bone integration and stability in a loading model.