Ion implantation: surface treatment for improving the bone integration of titanium and Ti6Al4V dental implants

Dental implants subjected to surface treatment have shown better bone integration than implants which have only been turned (machined). Three main types of treatment are presently available: the addition of material or coating, the removal of material, and surface modification. Ion implantation corresponds to the third approach. A histomorphometric study is made following the rabbit tibial bone placement of 88 commercial dental implants of pure titanium and Ti6AI4V subjected to surface treatment in the form of different ion implants (C+, CO+, N+, Ne+). Light microscopic, scanning electron microscopic (SEM), electron microsonde (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies were made. The results indicate improved bone integration (expressed as percentage bone-implant contact) in those specimens subjected to ion implantation versus the non-treated controls, the difference being statistically significant for the groups treated with C+ and CO+. In these groups, XPS showed a Ti-O-C junction (bone-implant interface) involving covalent type bonds, these being stronger and more stable than the ion-type bonds usually established between the titanium oxide and bone.