Surface analysis and effects on interfacial bone microhardness of collagen-coated titanium implants: a rabbit model.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface chemistry and the microhardness at the implant-bone interface using a recently developed collagen-coated titanium implant in a short-term rabbit model.


METHODS
Surface chemistry was evaluated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while in vivo studies involved 4-week implants mid-diaphysis in the lateral femurs of adult male rabbits. After conventional embedding and evaluation of histologic sections, the resinembedded blocks containing the implanted screws were used to measure bone hardness by means of an indentation test.


RESULTS
Decomposition of the C1s peak obtained by XPS analysis confirmed that surface-immobilized collagen retained all the molecular features of the control, nonimmobilized reference. As to microhardness measurement, newly formed bone at the collagen-coated-implant/bone interface was significantly harder than bone at the interface of the uncoated control implant and bone.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that collagen coating significantly improves bone maturation and mineralization at the interface in comparison with uncoated commercially pure titanium. Surface modification of titanium implants by collagen coating has recently been discussed as a promising approach to the biochemical modification of implant surfaces. The present results support previous histologic findings and demonstrated that the biomolecular layer linked over the titanium implant can increase the bone healing rate, at least in this animal model.


CONCLUSIONS
The present microhardness measurement at the bone-implant interface showed that collagen coating can significantly improve bone maturation and mineralization at the interface in comparison with uncoated commercially pure titanium, confirming and substantiating previous findings by histomorphometric measurements from the same model.
Morra
Marco
M
Nobil Bio Ricerche, Str. S. Rocco 36, 14018 Villafranca d'Asti, Italy. mmorra@tin.it
Cassinelli
Clara
C
Meda
Laura
L
Fini
Milena
M
Giavaresi
Gianluca
G
Giardino
Roberto
R
D000818:Animals; D001863:Bone Screws; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D005269:Femur; D006244:Hardness; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003094:Collagen; D014025:Titanium