Scientists find how titanium particles from dental implants hijack immunity

A Rutgers study in PNAS Nexus shows bacteria corrode titanium dental implants, releasing nanoparticles that trap macrophages in inflammation and destroy jawbone. The process runs through the calcium channel TRPC1, and disabling it in mice prevented the disease. Peri-implantitis affects 10–20% of implant patients and costs over $1 billion a year.

• Peri-implantitis affects 10–20% of dental implant recipients
• Antibiotics resolve fewer than half of cases around implants
• Disabling the TRPC1 channel in mice prevented bone destruction
• The condition costs healthcare systems over $1 billion annually