Evaluation of Selenium Coating on Titanium Miniplates and Screws – an In Vitro Study

This in vitro study examined three titanium miniplate systems: Leforte (CMF Leforte system) (Group A), Synthes (DePuy Synthes Co. Zuchwil, Switzerland) (Group B), and Stryker (Stryker Leibinger Inc) (Group C). Each system was divided into control (uncoated) and test (selenium-coated) groups, using 4-hole, 1.5 mm thick plates with 6 mm screws. Surface characteristics and antimicrobial efficacy were assessed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and microbial tests, with statistical analysis via IBM SPSS (version 26). Results showed significant selenium uptake, with uniform uptake in Groups B and C and irregular uptake in Group A. ATR-FTIR indicated chemical changes in the selenium-treated titanium. Group A had the highest scratch resistance (21.156 N) and coating thickness (37.113 μm). All selenium-coated groups demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy (p < 0.05 or 0.016). The findings suggest selenium coating on titanium miniplates improves surface characteristics and antimicrobial efficacy, potentially lowering postoperative infection risks.