Screw-shaped Implants Research Articles

Biological responses of anodized titanium implants under different current voltages

The oxide layer of a titanium surface is very stable, and seems to result in excellent biocompatibility and successful osseointegration. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high anodic oxidation voltages on the surface characteristics of titanium implants and the biologic response of rabbit tibiae. Bone tissue responses were evaluated by removal torque tests and histomorphometric analysis. Screw-shaped implants with microthreads were made of commercially pure titanium (Grade II). We prepared anodized implants under 300 V (group I), 400 V (group II), 500 V (group III) and 550 V (group IV). The surface characteristics of specimens were inspected according to three categories: surface morphology, surface roughness and oxide layer thickness. The screw-shaped implants were installed in rabbit tibiae. The removal torque values were measured and histomorphometric analysis was done after 1- and 3-month healing periods. Data indicate that as anodic oxidation voltage increased above 300 V, oxide layer thickness increased rapidly and pore size also increased. The roughness values of the implants increased with voltage up to 500 V, but decreased at 550 V. In the removal torque test, group III showed higher values than groups I and II at a statistically significant level (P < 0.05) after a 1-month healing period. In histomorphometric analysis, groups III and IV, after a 3-month healing period, showed greater bone to implant contact ratios for the total implant surface than did group I (P < 0.05).

The effects of implant surface roughness and surgical technique on implant fixation in an in vitro model

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between implant surface parameters, surgical approach and initial implant fixation. Sixty tapered, conical, screw-shaped implants with machined or etched surface topography were implanted into the explanted femoral condyle of goats. The implant sites were prepared either by a conventional technique, by undersized preparation, or by the osteotome technique. Peak insertion & removal torque, bone-to-implant contacts (BIC) and morphological bone appearance were assessed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and micro-computer tomography. (micro-CT). Insertion and removal torque values were significantly higher for etched implants inserted with the undersized technique (115.2 +/- 31.1, 102.9 +/- 36.4 N cm) respectively. Also, the average BIC value was higher for the etched implants placed with the undersized technique (87.5 +/- 5.6), which was statistically significant compared with machined and etched implants inserted by conventional technique. In conclusion, this study shows that the surgical technique has a decisive effect on implant fixation (represented in this study by installation torque value/removal torque value and histomorphometric evaluation) in trabecular bone. Nevertheless, additional in vivo studies have to be done to prove the importance of surgical protocol for the final implant-bone response.

Osteogenic effects of early loading on screw-shaped endosseous implants

Osteogenic effects of early loading on screw-shaped endosseous implants

Histologic and histomorphometric analysis of three types of dental implants following 18 months of occlusal loading: a preliminary study in baboons

The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of 'bone area' (BA) and 'bone-to-implant contact' (BIC) of dental implants with different designs and surface modifications after functional loading. Three types of dental implants with fixed partial dentures were placed in the posterior jaws of adult baboons (commercially pure titanium (CpTi) screws, grit-blasted acid-etched (GBAE) screws, and titanium plasma-sprayed (TPS) cylinders), three of the same design per quadrant. After 18 months of functional loading, all implants investigated were successfully integrated in the jawbone and histologic and histomorphometric analyses were carried out. Statistical evaluation was performed with a mixed model with data given as least-square means and standard errors of the mean (SEM). Histologically, direct BIC without connective tissue interposed between implant surfaces and peri-implant bone was seen. Analysis of BA within 1 mm around implants showed significant differences between CpTi (50.5%) and TPS (39.7%) (+/-2.72 SEM; P<0.01) in the maxilla. To account for the different implant designs, absolute BIC was calculated. Significant differences were found between CpTi (23.9 mm) and TPS (15.1 mm) and between GBAE (27.2 mm) and TPS (15.1 mm) (+/-1.05 SEM; P<0.01) in the maxilla and between GBAE (26.5 mm) and TPS (19.6 mm) (+/-1.42 SEM; P<0.01) in the mandible. Overall, the data indicate that, in the maxilla, screw-shaped implants showed more absolute BIC than cylindrical implants, which had less maxillary than mandibular absolute BIC after 18 months of functional loading.

The prevalence of surgical complications of the sinus graft procedure and their impact on implant survival.

Grafting of the maxillary sinus floor has been performed successfully over the last decade. The ultimate goal of this procedure is to allow surviving implants to support a functional prosthesis. Surgical complications of the procedure are rarely reported and their impact on implant survival has been investigated even to a lesser extent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of surgical complications of the sinus graft procedure and their impact on implant survival. The study consisted of 70 patients who underwent 81 sinus graft procedures using the lateral wall approach from 1995 to 2000. A total of 212 screw-shaped implants were placed in the grafted sinuses and were restored by fixed prosthesis. Mean follow-up period for the implants was 43.6 months. Intra- and postoperative complications were thoroughly documented regarding clinical signs, times of occurrence, and treatment regimens. Perforation of the Schneiderian membrane was the major intraoperative complication, observed in 36 of the 81 sinuses (44%). Of the 70 patients, seven (10%) suffered from postoperative complications, specifically related to the sinus graft procedure, which included an uncommon cyst formation and an infection. Membrane perforations were strongly associated with the appearance of postoperative complications (specific and non-specific to the procedure) (P < 0.001). However, no association was found between membrane perforations or postoperative complications and implant survival. Intraoperative complications may lead to postoperative complications. Surgical complications did not significantly influence implant survival.

Biologic effects of surface roughness and fluorhydroxyapatite coating on osteointegration in external fixation systems: an in vivo experimental study.

The concomitant influence of surface roughness and fluorhydroxyapatite (FHA) coating of titanium (Ti) implants on bone response was investigated. For this purpose, titanium screw-shaped implants with a lower degree (Y371) and a higher degree (TiPore300) of surface roughness, coated with FHA and uncoated, were transversally inserted into the diaphyses of sheep tibiae for 12 weeks. Four sheep received Y371 (group A) and Y371 + FHA (group B) screws and four sheep received TiPore300 (group C) and TiPore300 + FHA (group D) screws. For each type of material, the morphology and microstructure of implant-facing bone were evaluated. The host bone of each tibia was used as a control. In all groups the bone tissue did not reach a complete maturation. The higher degree of roughness, perhaps due to an excessive irregularity of the surface, induced the worst osteointegration: a fibrous tissue layer between screw and new bone tissue was often present. Nevertheless, as viewed by XRD, no crystallographic change of the apatite lattice was observed in any of the implants. In contrast, the microhardness value, an index of bone mineralization, was higher in the uncoated screws and decreased progressively in the following order: group C > group A > group B > group D. The association of plasma spraying with roughness treatment constitutes a complex system that seems to interfere with bone mineralization. A chemical change of the surface, perhaps with more Ti release or more coating degradation, could be responsible for such impairment. The authors emphasize the necessity for simultaneous evaluation of surface topography and chemistry as well as an improvement in plasma-spraying and post-processing techniques and in standard procedures for materials characterization.

Interventions for replacing missing teeth: dental implants in zygomatic bone for the rehabilitation of the severely deficient edentulous maxilla.

Dental implants are used for replacing missing teeth. However, the possibility of placing dental implants is limited by the presence of adequate bone volume permitting their anchorage. Several bone grafting procedures have been developed to solve this problem. The missing bone can be taken from a donor site, transplanted where needed and then implants are placed. Major bone grafting operations have to be undertaken under general anaesthesia and patients have to be hospitalized for a few days. Some degree of morbidity related to the donor site must be expected and two to three surgical interventions are needed before the implants can be functionally used. Often patients have to wait more than 1 year before a denture can be fixed to the implants and the total cost of the treatment is high. However, the major problem is that about 25% of the implants placed in grafted bone fail. Zygomatic implants are long screw-shaped implants developed as an alternative to bone grafting. Zygomatic implants are inserted into the body of the zygomatic bone. Their main advantages are that bone grafting may not be needed and patients may be fitted with a fixed denture much sooner. To test the hypothesis of no difference in outcomes between zygomatic implants without bone augmenting procedures in comparison with conventional dental implants in augmented bone for severely resorbed maxillae. We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE. We handsearched several dental journals. No language restrictions were applied. Personal contacts and manufacturers of dental implants were contacted to identify unpublished trials. Most recent search: February 2003. Randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) on patients with severely resorbed maxillae who could not be rehabilitated with conventional dental implants, treated with zygomatic implants without bone grafts versus conventional dental implants with bone grafts or other procedures for bone augmentation with a follow up of at least 1 year. Outcome measures considered were: prosthesis and implant failures, side effects, patient satisfaction and cost effectiveness. Screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were to be conducted in duplicate and independently by two reviewers. Results were to be expressed as random effects models using weighted mean differences for continuous outcomes and relative risk for dichotomous outcomes with 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was to be investigated including both clinical and methodological factors. No RCTs or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were identified. There is an urgent need for RCTs in this area, since zygomatic implants, if found to be at least as effective as other augmentation procedures, may involve major advantages for both patients and society.

Biological behavior of sol-gel coated dental implants.

The biocompatibility of dental implants coated with titania/hydroxyapatite (HA) and titania/bioactive glass (BG) composites obtained via sol-gel process was investigated using an in vitro and in vivo model. A device for the in vitro testing of screw-shaped dental implants was developed, in order to well compare the two experimental models studying the behavior of human MG63 osteoblast-like cells seeded onto a particular geometry. The expression of some biochemical parameters of osteoblastic phenotype (alkaline phosphatase specific activity, collagen and osteocalcin production) and some indications on cells morphology obtained by scanning electron microscopy were evaluated. The in vitro and in vivo models were compared after implants insertion in rabbit tibia and femur. The removal torque and histomorphometric parameters (percentage of bone in contact with implant surface and the amount of bone inside the threaded area) were examined. A good agreement was found between the in vitro and in vivo models. These experiments showed better performances of HA and BG sol-gel coated dental implants with respect to uncoated titanium; in particular, it was found that in vitro the HA coating stimulates osteoblastic cells in producing higher level of ALP and collagen, whereas in vivo this surface modification resulted in a higher removal torque and a larger bone-implant contact area. This behavior could be ascribed to the morphology and the chemical composition of the implants with rough and bioactive surfaces.

Healing after standardized clinical probing of the perlimplant soft tissue seal: a histomorphometric study in dogs.

Clinical probing of the soft tissues around oral implants has become a frequently used parameter for clinical monitoring. However, the healing of the disruption of the soft tissue seal as a result of probing has not yet been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing events in the periimplant mucosal tissues following standardized clinical probing. In three foxhounds the mandibular premolars were extracted and, after 3 months of healing, TPS screw-shaped implants (ITO Dental Implant System) were installed. A plaque control regimen was performed throughout the duration of the experiment. After 3 months of healing of the transmucosal implants, clinical implant stability and healthy periimplant mucosal tissues with mostly absence of bleeding on probing were obtained. Clinical probing of the mesial and distal implant sites was performed immediately before 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days prior to the sacrifice of the animals. A specially manufactured titanium cylinder with a mesial and distal groove was fixed to the implants to standardize the insertion geometry of a pressure-sensitive probe (0.2-0.25 N, tip diameter 0.45 mm). The distances from the alveolar crest to the coronal border of the connective tissue adaptation to the implant and the length of the epithelial attachment were measured histomorphometrically in nondecalcified ground sections. The buccal and lingual aspects of the implants were used to determine the components of the biological width in unprobed control sites. The probe caused a separation between the surface of the implant and the junctional epithelium, but not within the connective tissue adaptation. In general, the probe tip was located at the most coronal level of the supracrestal connective tissue as determined histologically. By 1 day after separation of the periimplant mucosal tissue by probing, an epithelial attachment of approximately 0.5 mm in the apico-coronal direction was observed. The length of the epithelial adaptation showed a tendency to increase over time (day 2: 1.15 mm, day 3: 1.52 mm), and was complete at day 5 (1.92 mm). At the unprobed sites the epithelial attachment showed a mean length of 1.69 mm. Inflammatory infiltrates were practically nonexistent, indicating the absence of tissue trauma or infection as a result of probing. Clinical probing around osseointegrated implants does not appear to have detrimental effects on the soft tissue seal and, hence, does not seem to jeopardize the longevity of oral implants. The 'healing of the epithelial attachment' seems to be complete 5 days after clinical probing.

Resonance frequency and removal torque analysis of implants with turned and anodized surface oxides.

The present experimental study was designed to address two issues. The first was to investigate whether oxide properties of titanium implants influenced bone tissue responses after an in vivo implantation time of six weeks. If such a result was found, the second aim was to investigate which oxide properties are involved in such bone tissue responses. Screw-shaped implants with a wide range of oxide properties were prepared by electrochemical oxidation methods, where the oxide thickness varied in the range of 200 nm to 1000 nm. The surface morphology was prepared in two substantially different ways, i.e. barrier and porous oxide film structures. The micropore structure revealed pore sizes of 8 microm in diameter, with a range in opening area from 1.27 microm 2 to 2.1 microm 2. Porosity ranged from 12.7% to 24.4%. The crystal structures of the titanium oxide were amorphous, anatase and a mixture of anatase and rutile type. The chemical compositions consisted mainly of TiO2. Surface roughness ranged from 0.96 microm to 1.03 microm (Sa). Each group of test samples showed its own, defined status with respect to these various parameters. The oxide properties of turned commercially pure titanium implants were used in the control group, which was characterized by an oxide thickness of 17.4 +/- 6.2 nm, amorphous type in crystallinity, TiO2 in chemical composition, and a surface roughness of 0.83 microm (Sa). Bone tissue responses were evaluated by resonance frequency measurements and removal torque tests that were undertaken six weeks after implant insertion in rabbit tibia. Implants that had an oxide thickness of approximately 600, 800 and 1000 nm demonstrated significantly stronger bone responses in the evaluation of removal torque values than did implants that had an oxide thickness of approximately 17 and 200 nm (P < 0.05). However, there were no difference between implants with oxide thicknesses of 17 and 200 nm (P = 0.99). It was concluded that oxide properties of titanium implants, which include oxide thickness, micropore configurations and crystal structures, greatly influence the bone tissue response in the evaluation of removal torque values. However, it is not fully understood whether these oxide properties influence the bone tissue response separately or synergistically.

The effect of an immunosuppressive therapy and its withdrawal on bone healing around titanium implants. A histometric study in rabbits.

Immunosuppressive agents have been recognized as a factor affecting bone metabolism. We investigated the consequences of the administration and withdrawal of cyclosporin A/nifedipine on bone around titanium implants to observe whether these changes occur and if they are reversible. Twenty-eight New Zealand rabbits were included in the study. Following anesthesia, the tibiae surface was exposed, and 2 screw-shaped implants 7.0 mm in length and 3.75 mm in diameter were placed bilaterally. The animals were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental groups and received daily subcutaneous injections for 14 days: groups A and C were injected with vehicle while groups B and D received cyclosporin A (10 mg/kg) plus nifedipine (0.5 mg/kg). Groups A and B were sacrificed 14 days and groups C and D 42 days postoperatively. The degree of bone contact with the implant surface and the bone area within the limits of the threads of the implant were measured. Intergroup analysis revealed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the degree of bone contact with the implant surface between the control and test groups on days 14 and 42. In contrast, the treated animals demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the bone area within the limits of the threads of the implant in both periods. The data of the present study suggest that the use of cyclosporin A/nifedipine may influence bone healing around titanium implants. This observation may have important clinical implications.

Histomorphometric comparison of implant anchorage for two types of dental implants after 3 and 6 months' healing in baboon jaws

Statement of Problem. A complete understanding of dental implant prognosis requires better knowledge of the bone anatomy after implant healing. Such baseline data are necessary to compare against load-induced changes in anatomy. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to describe and compare measures of implant support (percentage [%] integration and percentage [%] bone area) for various implants in baboon jaws after healing times of 3 and 6 months. Material and Methods. Commercially pure titanium (cpTi) and titanium alloy (Ti-alloy) screw-shaped implants were placed in the posterior jaws of 9 female baboons after 2 months of postextraction healing. Specimens were harvested after 3 months (5 baboons: 8 cpTi, 7 Ti-alloy) and after 6 months (4 baboons: 8 cpTi, 8 Ti-alloy). Each implant provided 6 polished horizontal sections for data collection, which was accomplished from digitized images with the IMAGE analysis system (reliability at 1.6%). Three- and six-month data for each parameter were compared with the use of ANOVA (P<.01). Results. The results revealed a significant increase in the % integration (cpTi 39.1 to 56.2; Ti-alloy 40.0 to 55.2) and the % bone area (cpTi 38.8 to 47.9; Ti-alloy 38.9 to 49.2) from 3 to 6 months for both implants. This significant increase was also true for comparisons by jaw for each implant material (P<.01 for overall and by jaw comparisons). Conclusion. A time-dependent increase in jawbone anchorage was measured in this nonhuman primate population, and it was shown that the 6-month maxillary data were comparable to the 3-month mandibular data. These results lend support to the clinical strategy of waiting longer to load implants in the maxilla. (J Prosthet Dent 2001;85:276-80.)

Bone response to machined cast titanium implants

The aim was to evaluate the bone response to machined cast titanium (Ti) implants. Commercially pure (c.p.) machined Ti implants served as controls. Analyses of the surface composition and topography by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed no differences comparing the two materials. Cast screw-shaped and identical machined Ti implants were inserted in the tibial metaphysis of 6 rabbits. After 3 and 6 months, the amount of bone within threads and the degree of bone-implant contact were histomorphometrically evaluated. The bone area of cast Ti implants was 45% after 3 months and 62% after 6 months. The corresponding values for machined Ti implants were 51% and 58%, respectively. The total bone-implant contact for cast Ti implants was 19% (25% control implants) after 3 months and 45% (37% for control implants) 6 months after implantation. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two materials at any time interval. The present experimental results indicate that machined cast Ti implants integrate equally well in bone as machined c.p. Ti implants do.

Immediate Function of Brånemark Implants in the Esthetic Zone: A Retrospective Clinical Study with 6 Months to 4 Years of Follow‐up

Immediate implant function is a psychological benefit for the patient and makes a substantial reduction in treatment cost possible. Currently, immediate function using Brånemark implants has become an accepted alternative for complete-arch fixed restorations in mandibles and for overdenture support for some other screw-shaped implants. Clinical documentation is lacking for other applications. The purpose of this study was to investigate a concept for immediate function of Brånemark implants supporting fixed prosthesis in the esthetic regions of the jaws. This retrospective clinical study included 49 consecutively treated patients with 94 implants supporting 54 fixed prostheses, all in esthetically critical regions: 23 of the prostheses were bridges, 14 in maxillae and 9 in mandibles; 31 of the prostheses were crowns, 22 in maxillae and 9 in mandibles. At surgery, the implant platform was positioned above the surrounding bone level and bicortical anchorage was the goal whenever possible. The minimum insertion torque for accepting the implant for immediate function was 32 Ncm. Provisional implant-supported prostheses without occlusal contacts were delivered at time of surgery, and final prostheses with normal occlusion were delivered 5 months later. Eighty-five of the implants (90%) have passed the 1-year and 40 (43%) the 2-year follow-ups, respectively. Two implants failed in one patient before the 6-month follow-up, and another two implants between the 6-month and the 1-year follow-up, in two other patients, giving a cumulative survival rate of 96%. The average bone resorption was 0.8 mm after the first year as evaluated from 35 patients with readable radiographs. The failed implants were replaced after 3 to 4 months with immediate function; these were successful in all cases (not included in this study). The number of complications was small and did not differ in character from those normally encountered at implant treatment using a conventional protocol. The cumulative survival rate of 96% at 1 and 2 years indicates that immediate function of Brånemark implants used in the esthetic zone in both jaws can be a viable concept. All failures occurred in fresh extraction sites, and extra care is recommended to avoid situations with ongoing inflammation in these situations.

Measurement of Bone Metal Contact (BMC) in Retrieved Maxillofacial Osseointegrated Implants

Eighteen screw-shaped extraoral osseointegrated implants retrieved from 10 patients were analysed by microradiography. Retrieved implants were trephined with a border of surrounding bone, fixed, embedded in epon plastic, ground and processed for microradiography. The reasons for retrieval were unexplained pain ( n =4), inability to cope with the implants ( n =2), fracture of central screw ( n =2), skin penetration problems ( n =1) and trauma ( n =1). The study group comprised six males and four females with a mean age of 53.4 years (range: 9-81 years). All implants were clinically stable at the time of removal, and mean osseointegration time was 3 years (range: 1-5 years). Six implants were removed from the temporal bone, five from the frontal bone and seven from the maxilla. Bone metal contact was estimated to vary between 27% and 83%. Bone metal contact was lower in the frontal bone compared to the temporal bone or maxilla, and was further reduced after preoperative irradiation. Longer osseointegration time increased bone metal contact, as did increased age up to 60 years. It is concluded that extraoral osseointegrated implants in humans may integrate morphologically as well as clinically. By microradiography it was possible to define bone metal contact in the region of implant installation.

The implant neck: smooth or provided with retention elements. A biomechanical approach.

A combined three-dimensional and axisymmetric finite element analysis was made of the effect upon the peak interfacial shear stress of providing an axially loaded mandibular dental implant with retention elements all the way up to the crest of the implant as opposed to a smooth neck. The effect of increased wall thickness of the implant and of using bi-cortical fixation as opposed to uni-cortical fixation was also studied. Retention elements at the implant neck were found to bring about a major decrease in the peak interfacial shear stress. Increased wall thickness and bi-cortical fixation also resulted in decreased peak interfacial shear stress but this effect was minor. The interpretation of this was that all these three measures increase the capacity of the implant to carry axial loads. Thus from a biomechanical viewpoint it appears to be advantageous to provide the neck of screw-shaped implants with retention elements, for example a rough surface of suitable micro-architecture and/or a micro-thread. It is furthermore suggested that retention elements at the implant neck will counteract marginal bone resorption in accordance with Wolff's law. This paper is a revision of: Hansson, S. (1997) Some steps to improve the capacity of dental implants to resist axial loads. In: Hansson, S., ed. Towards an optimized dental implant and implant bridge design: A biomechanical approach. Thesis. Göteborg: Chalmers University of Technology.

The interface of bone microstructure and an innovative coating: an X-ray diffraction study.

The in vivo compatibility and degradation aspects of an innovative coating to be sprayed onto titanium implants were investigated. The surface of fluorinated apatite (fHA), consisting of fluorhydroxyapatite plasma sprayed in a vacuum atmosphere, was treated with carbonate to improve its biological compatibility. fHA coating was compared with titanium implants coated (a) with hydroxyapatite (HA) by the traditional plasma spraying, and (b) with titanium oxide (TiOx). Screw-shaped implants were inserted in the cortical bone of sheep tibiae. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of bone tissue and coatings was carried out at 2, 4, 12 and 36 weeks after surgery. The crystallographic habit of the implant-facing bone, as well as the structural stability of the coating, were evaluated. For each time period and type of ceramic bone apatite lattice at the interface, no significantly different reference apatite lattice and no foreign peak were recorded. Two weeks after implantation, the bone at the interface was strongly unmineralized in all samples; after 4 weeks, poorly mineralized bone microareas decreased. At 12 weeks, the newly formed bone tissue at the interface with both the new coating and HA coating was shown to be fully mineralized; this crystallographic habit was retained at 36 weeks, when particle release from the tested material was lower compared to the controls. The XRD pattern of bone apatite surrounding the coating particles was unmodified. The innovative coating did not alter the mineralization process at the interface. It improved implant osteointegration, mainly due to a limited release of particles. Consequently, clinical performance of external fixation treatment could be improved by modifying the chemical composition of the implant surface.

A histomorphometric evaluation of screw‐shaped implants each prepared with two surface roughnesses

Four different surface modifications were designed. Forty screw-shaped implants were divided into 4 groups, 10 screws in each. Every screw was prepared with 2 different surface topographies. The surface topography was measured with a confocal laser scanning profilometer and the surface roughness was characterized using 1 height, 1 spatial and 1 hybrid descriptive parameter. After 12 weeks in rabbit bone all screws were histomorphometrically evaluated. Blasted surfaces demonstrated more bone in contact to implant surface compared with turned surfaces. Most bone in close contact to implant surface was found for a surface blasted with 75 microns sized particles, numerically characterized with an average height deviation (Sa) of 1.4 microns, an average wavelength (Scx) of 11.6 microns and a developed surface area ratio (Sdr) of 1.5.

Influence of implant diameters on the integration of screw implants: An experimental study in rabbits

The influence of diameter on the integration of titanium screw-shaped implants was studied in the rabbit tibia by means of removal torque measurements and histomorphometry. Implants 3.0, 3.75, 5.0, and 6.0 mm in diameter and 6.0 mm long were inserted through one cortical layer in the tibial metaphyses of nine rabbits and allowed to heal for 12 weeks. The implants were then unscrewed with a torque gauge, and the peak torque required to shear off the implants was recorded. The histologic analysis in undemineralized ground sections comprised (1) a gross description of the implant sites and assessments of (2) the total implant length in bone and (3) in the cortical passage, as well as (4) the thickness of the cortical bone adjacent to the implants. From the removal torque values obtained and morphometric measurements, a mean shear stress value was calculated for each implant type. The biomechanical tests showed a statistically significant increase of removal torque with increasing implant diameter. The resistance to shear seemed to be determined by the implant surface in supportive cortical bone, whereas the newly formed bone at the periosteal and endosteal surfaces did not seem to have any supportive properties after 12 weeks. It is suggested that wide diameter implants may be used clinically to increase implant stability.

Characterizing three-dimensional topography of engineering and biomaterial surfaces by confocal laser scanning and stylus techniques

Three-dimensional measurements of surface topography were performed using a confocal laser scanner and a contact stylus instrument. Three surfaces known to be difficult to evaluate were chosen to be measured on the same area with the two instruments. The measurements from the optical and the contact stylus profilometer were compared with each other and with measurements obtained from high-resolution atomic force microscopy, which served as a reference instrument. Six implants manufactured from commonly used biomaterials were also measured on the same part of the implant, but not on the same area, with the optical and the contact profilometer in order to simulate the measurements that would be performed when different laboratories measure similarly treated surfaces. The numerical and visual differences achieved when measuring the same area with the two instruments investigated were compared. In general, we found an underestimation of the surface features with the contact stylus measurement and an overestimation with the confocal scanner. The stylus readings are mainly influenced by the radius of the stylus tip, the pressure of the stylus tip on the surface, and the hardness of the material. The optical profilometer has a tendency for creating spikes when surfaces with deep slopes are measured. For relatively soft metallic biomaterials, we found that using the optical instrument is the most appropriate method for surface roughness characterization, particularly when screw-shaped implants are analysed, whereas the stylus is preferred when larger areas with substantial slopes within the surface structure are to be evaluated.