Formation of crystalline calcium phosphate coating on the titanium dioxide layer of dental implants' surface

Production of octacalcium phosphate crystals on the surface of titanium dioxide particles was achieved at high concentration of titania particles. Optimising the speed of addition of the reagents in the process of crystal growth in heterogeneous nucleation reaction led to reproducible OCP crystal structure on the particle surface. The crystal structure of OCP was investigated by SEM, XRD and FTIR methods. The same crystallization process on the surface of metallic titanium plates did not result in formation of OCP crystals. The evaporated titanium layers on a glass surface and titanium plates without excimer laser treatment did not bond calcium phosphate at any rate. SEM investigations imply that the surface layer of titanium plates changes radically due to laser beam treatment, likely because of oxidation of titanium in the process of evaporation followed by deposition back onto the surface. The calcium phosphate formation on these oxidised titanium plates could be observed by SEM. It can be concluded, that for OCP-formation on titanium metal surface it is necessary to form a thick oxide layer, as the native oxide layer in the case of non-treated titanium substrates did not bound the calcium phosphate, while formation of calcium phosphate could be reached on the laser-treated surface.