Study on the Effect of a Surface Roughness on the Osteoconductivity of Bio-active Titanium in vivo

Abstract

Our previous study revealed the in vitro effects of surface roughness on the osteoconductivity of bioactive titanium. To access the in vivo effects, an animal experiment was performed using rabbits.
Bio-active pure titanium samples with two kinds of surface roughness were implanted into the femur of rabbits for 2 weeks. The tissues surrounding the titanium specimens were observed and evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), histological methods and mechanical extraction test.
Titanium samples with a rough surface tended to show marked postoperative bone formation surrounding the implants. These results suggest that osteoconductivity can be accelerated by increasing the surface roughness condition of bioactive titanium for dental implants.