Electrochemical coating of dental implants with anodic porous titania for enhanced osteointegration

Abstract

SummaryClinical long-term osteointegration of titanium-based biomedical devices is the main goal for both dental and orthopedical implants. Both the surface morphology and the possible functionalization of the implant surface are important points. In the last decade, following the success of nanostructured anodic porous alumina, anodic porous titania has also attracted the interest of academic researchers. This material, investigated mainly for its photocatalytic properties and for applications in solar cells, is usually obtained from the anodization of ultrapure titanium. We anodized dental implants made of commercial grade titanium under different experimental conditions and characterized the resulting surface morphology with scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer. The appearance of nanopores on these implants confirm that anodic porous titania can be obtained not only on ultrapure and flat titanium but also as a conformal coating on curved surfaces of real objects made of industrial titanium alloys. Raman spectroscopy showed that the titania phase obtained is anatase. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that by carrying out the anodization in the presence of electrolyte additives such as magnesium, these can be incorporated into the porous coating. The proposed method for the surface nanostructuring of biomedical implants should allow for integration of conventional microscale treatments such as sandblasting with additive nanoscale patterning. Additional advantages are provided by this material when considering the possible loading of bioactive drugs in the porous cavities.

Micro-Scale Surface Patterning of Titanium Dental Implants by Anodization in the Presence of Modifying Salts

“…The P contamination appearing at a concentration of ~11 at% in both Figure 3b,e, is due to the phosphate anions PO 4 − − entrapped in the porous oxide during its growth [18]. In both Figure 3b,e, the presence of Ti oxide grown on the surface is confirmed, as the O contents significantly increased with respect to Figure 1c from ~3 to at least ~7 at%.…”

“…However, optimal roughness values and surface morphology pattern are still controversial and need to be more clearly defined [2,15]. One current hypothesis is that to augment implant surface bioactivity and promote both early integration and long-term success, dental implant surface should carry both macro, micro and nanoscale features and related roughness [16,17,18]. While the macroscale shape depends on machining, and the microscale roughness can be successfully obtained by etching or sand-blasting, it has been shown that anodization is an effective means to obtain nanoroughness, in the form of anodic porous titania (APT).…”

Early Loading of Mandibular Molar Single Implants: 1 Year Results of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

“…The area of the bone-to-implant interface can be extended by increasing the implant surface roughness, resulting in an improvement in the primary stability of the implant [ 15 , 16 ]. In addition, implants with increased surface roughness promote osseointegration between the implant and bone, thus reducing the waiting period for bone healing before loading [ 17 , 18 ]. Recently, efforts have been made to minimize the time when stability dips occur by increasing hydrophilicity or bioactivity of the implant surface to promote blood clot formation around the implant and growth factors to move around the implant [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Formation of Free-Standing Inverse Opals with Gradient Pores

“…The synthesis of materials with tailored porosity and pore size has attracted considerable attention for their promising potentials in electrocatalysis, sensing, scaffolds, and capacitors [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Among many porous materials studied, the inverse opals—also known as the 3D ordered macroporous materials—have received the most scrutiny because their macropores are arranged in a honeycombed structure with 12 pore channels connecting neighboring macropores [ 7 ].…”