Commercially pure titanium (cp Ti) is widely used in dental implantology. However, it is only passively integrated in bone and the resulting fixation in the bone, which is necessary for the function, is mainly mechanical in its nature. With the objective of increasing the chemical interaction between the implant and bone tissue, several phosphonic acids were synthesized and grafted onto titanium disks. The bare polished Ti disks (Ti P) and the grafting of three phosphonic acids (methylenediphosphonic acid (MDP), propane-1,1,3,3-tetraphosphonic acid (PTP), and ethane-1,1,2-triphosphonic acid (ETP)) on these disks were characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). These surface analytical techniques provided strong indications of the formation of a chemical link between the Ti implant and the phosphonic acid molecule. The bioactivity of the modified Ti disks was evaluated by incubating these disks in a physiological solution (Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS)) for 1, 7, and 14 days. Modified surfaces showed only slightly higher calcium levels in the XPS analysis compared to the reference Ti P surface. Among them, the surface modified with ETP (Ti P + ETP) induced the highest calcium phosphate deposition after 14 days incubation.

Titanium is widely used in dental implants due to its suitable physical properties and its good biocompatibility. However, it is integrated into bone only passively, and the resulting fixation in the bone, which is necessary for the function, is mainly mechanical in nature. With the objective of increasing the chemical interaction between the implant and the bone tissue, several phosphonic acids were synthesized and grafted onto titanium disks. Here we report on the proliferation, differentiation, and protein production of rat osteoblastic cells (CRP10/30) on phosphonic-acid-modified titanium surfaces studied in vitro. No statistical differences were found in osteoblast proliferation among the phosphonic-acid-modified titanium, unmodified titanium, and tissue culture plastic (used as a positive control), indicating that the phosphonic acids used were not cytotoxic to the osteoblasts used. For all surfaces (modified or not), the alkaline phosphatase activity was at least as good as it was on tissue culture plastic. However, the total amount of protein, and especially the collagen type I synthesis, was sensitive to surface modification. On titanium modified with ethane-1,1,2-triphosphonic acid, the total amount of synthesized protein was significantly higher than it was on unmodified titanium surfaces. A significant increase (up to 16%) of collagen type I production was observed on titanium surfaces modified with this acid or with methylenediphosphonic acid compared to unmodified titanium surfaces.

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A general method for the synthesis of new polyphosphonic acids is 1, are formed by the reaction of the salt of tetraisopropyl methylenediphosphonate with diisopropyl n-bromoalkanephosphonates (n = 3-4) while the hexaisopropyl alkane-2,2,n-triphosphonates (n = 5-6) are formed by the reaction of the salt of tetraisopropyl ethane-1,1-diphosphonate with diisopropyl n-bromoalkanephosphonates (n = 3-4). The esters are then hydrolyzed with HCl to give the corresponding phosphonic acids.