Evaluation of the osseointegration of dental implants coated with calcium carbonate: an animal study

Yi Liu,You-De Liang,Tao Jiang,Yi-Ning Wang,Zhen Zhang,Yi Zhou

doi:10.1038/ijos.2017.13

Abstract

In an attempt to overcome the limitations of titanium in dental and orthopaedic clinical applications, a new method has been developed to prepare calcium carbonate coatings on sandblasted and acid-etched (SA) titanium implants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of calcium carbonate-SA (CC-SA) implants on osseointegration in vivo. The surfaces of SA and CC-SA implants were characterised for surface morphology and surface chemistry. Subsequently, these two kinds of implants were implanted in the femoral condyles of rabbits. The implants were retrieved and prepared for histological and histomorphometric evaluation 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after implantation. Significantly higher values of bone-to-implant contact of the entire implant except the gap area (BIC_ALL) and the bone-to-implant contact of the gap area (BIC_GAP) were found in animals with the CC-SA implants than in those with the SA implants at 4 weeks. Higher values of total gap bone were found in those with the CC-SA implants than in those with the SA implants at 1, 2 and 4 weeks. In conclusion, the current findings demonstrate that the calcium carbonate coating can improve and accelerate the early ingrowth of bone and osseointegration at the early healing phase. This may reduce clinical healing times and thus improve implant success rates.

Highlights

Titanium is one of the most commonly used materials for dental and orthopaedic implants on account of its high biocompatibility, chemical stability and excellent mechanical properties.[1,2] the oxide film that spontaneously forms on titanium when it is exposed to oxygen makes it bioinert.[3]
The gap enabled investigation of the new bone formation, which is very difficult to assess on an implant surface that is in contact with the bone of a drilled hole
Crystals with a rhombohedral and needle-like shape were observed on the CC-sandblasted and acid-etched titanium (SATi) surfaces (Figure 2b)

Summary

Introduction

Titanium is one of the most commonly used materials for dental and orthopaedic implants on account of its high biocompatibility, chemical stability and excellent mechanical properties.[1,2] the oxide film that spontaneously forms on titanium when it is exposed to oxygen makes it bioinert.[3]. HA-coated surfaces achieve a very intimate bone-to-implant contact and have been claimed to reduce the healing period. A retrospective long-term clinical study on 313 HA-coated oral implants reported that the cumulative survival rate decreased to 77.8% after 8 years for HA-coated implants, compared with 92.7% for titanium plasma-sprayed implants.[6] Another clinical report showed that the cumulative success rates of HA-coated implants after 5 and 10 years were 89.9% and 54%, respectively.[7] The long-term effects of HA-coated implants may be limited by vulnerable interface attachment between the HA coating and the implant metal body,[8] surface resorption-induced foreign body reactions[9] and relatively low shear and fatigue strengths.[10]

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Conclusion