Bone response to endosseous titanium implants surface-modified by blasting and chemical treatment: a histomorphometric study in the rabbit femur

This study evaluated the effects of the addition of oxide structure with submicron-scale porous morphology on the periimplant bone response around titanium (Ti) implants with microroughened surfaces. Hydroxyapatite-blasted Ti implants with (experimental) and without (control) a porous oxide structure produced by chemical treatment were investigated in a rabbit femur model. Surface characterizations and in vivo bone response at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation were compared. The experimental implants had submicron-scale porous surface structure consisted of anatase and rutile phase, and the original R(a) values produced by blasting were preserved. The histomorphometric evaluation demonstrated statistically significantly increased bone-to-implant contact (BIC) for experimental implants, both in the three best consecutive threads (p < 0.01) and all threads (p < 0.05) at 4 weeks. There was no remarkable difference in the BIC% or bone area percentage between the two groups at 8 weeks. The porous Ti oxide surface enhanced periimplant bone formation around the Ti implants with microroughened surfaces at the early healing stage. Based on the results of this study, the addition of crystalline Ti oxide surface with submicron-sized porous morphology produced by chemical treatment may be an effective approach for enhancing the osseointegration of Ti implants with microroughened surfaces by increasing early bone-implant contact.