Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacy of 10% Doxycycline and 1% Chlorhexidine Gels on Contaminated Titanium Implant Surfaces

The study aimed to compare the antimicrobial performance of 10% doxycycline gel and 1 percent chlorhexidine (CHX) gel in decontaminating sandblasted acid-etched titanium implant surfaces inoculated with Porphyromonas gingivalis. Titanium implants were assigned to two groups (A and B), each subdivided into 3 subgroups (A1–A3, B1–B3), and deliberately contaminated with P. gingivalis. Group A implants received 10% doxycycline gel, whereas Group B implants were treated with 1 percent CHX gel. The remaining viable bacterial load after treatment was measured using standard culture techniques. Initially, both groups showed an average bacterial load of 120,000,000 CFU. On the first day, subgroup A1 had 3291.67 CFU, while B1 showed complete eradication (0 CFU). By days three and seven, all remaining subgroups (A2, A3, B2, B3) demonstrated complete elimination of the bacteria. While repeated application of 10 percent doxycycline gel and a single application of 1 percent CHX gel both achieved complete disinfection of implant surfaces, 1% CHX gel was particularly efficient. These findings suggest that both agents could be practical and cost-effective approaches in managing peri-implant infections.