Fibroblastic growth and attachment on hydroxyapatite-coated titanium surfaces following the use of various detoxification modalities. Part I: Noncontaminated hydroxyapatite.

Hydroxyapatite-coated titanium alloy test strips were treated with chlorhexidine gluconate, stannous fluoride, citric acid, tetracycline HCl, polymyxin B, hydrogen peroxide, and a plastic Cavitron tip: untreated sterile strips served as controls. The strips were incubated with cultured human gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts. Image analysis of three photomicrographs of each test strip (original magnification x350) indicated that the tetracycline HCl treatment resulted in significantly greater cellular surface area coverage compared with the other treatments. Citric acid and the plastic Cavitron tip also stimulated cell attachment, although the results from the Cavitron tip were not significantly different from citric acid or the other treatment groups. The remainder of the modalities and the untreated cellular controls experienced similar cellular coverage.