Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate peri-implant soft tissue attachment and alveolar bone height on nanoporous TiO(2) thin film on commercial titanium dental implants compared with unmodified standard implants.
Material and methods: In six adult beagle dogs, the mandibular premolars P2-P4 were extracted bilaterally. Sol-gel-derived nanoporous TiO(2) thin film was produced on smooth coronal part of standard ITI Straumann implants (4.1 mm x 8.0 mm) by dip coating method. After 3 months healing period of the extraction sockets modified (n=24) and unmodified (n=11) control implants were placed bilaterally. The animals were killed after 8 weeks and the samples were retrieved and processed for histologic/histomorfometric and TEM/SEM evaluations.
Results: Histological examination showed mild or absent inflammatory reaction in peri-implant connective tissues around the surface modified implants. Further, junctional epithelium (JE)/connective tissue (CT) appeared to be in immediate contact with the experimental implants. Of the experimental implants, 22% were judged to be detached from the implant surface while 45% of the untreated control implants were detached. Dense plaques of hemidesmosomes were found in TEM evaluation of the JE cell membrane facing the surface-treated implants. In the histomorfometric analysis, the distance between the implant margin and alveolar bone crest was significantly shorter in surface-treated implants than in the control implants (P<0.02).
Conclusion: Nanoporous sol-gel-derived TiO(2) thin film on ITI Straumann dental implants improved soft tissue attachment in vivo.