title: Characterization, at the bone crystal level, of the titanium-coating/bone interfacial zone.
abstract: Well integrated and clinically functional titanium dental implants retrieved in humans after 14 and 40 months of settlement were used for the characterization of the interfacial area between the plasma-sprayed coating and the surrounding mineralized bone. Electron microscopic studies were performed from undecalcified intact coating/bone interfaces. The concomitant presence of direct bone tissue apposition on the titanium coating, as well as the interposition of amorphous material along the same interfacial zones emphasizes the dynamic biologic aspect of the osseointegration process. A very striking finding of these ultrastructural and microanalytical investigations was the presence of tiny titanium grains ranging from 5 to 50 nm in diameter at the surface of bulky plasma-sprayed coating particles. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed a continuity between the lattice planes of the coating material and those of the minute titanium grains; thus indicating a chemical binding. The thickness of the granular titanium layer interposed between coating particles and mineralized bone tissue ranged up to 600 nm. The observation of calcium-phosphate needle-like crystallites within the porous layer made of titanium grains indicates a bone ingrowth process, suggesting a bone-binding mechanism to the outer surface of the coated titanium implant.
authors.affiliation: Fédération de Recherches Odontologie, INSERM U424-Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire de Strasbourg, 11 rue Humann, 67085 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leize
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hemmerlé
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leize
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D003461:Crystallography; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D015921:Dental Implants; D014025:Titanium