Treatment of a commercial, machined surface titanium implant with H2SO4/H2O2 enhances contact osteogenesis.
BACKGROUND
It has recently been reported that controlled chemical oxidation of titanium (Ti) with sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4))/hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) significantly influences the early stages of in vitro osteogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether this chemical treatment can also influence in vivo bone formation.


METHODS
Ti implants (Mk III) were etched with H(2)SO(4)/H(2)O(2) for 4 h at room temperature. Mandibular premolars were extracted in eight dogs and, after 3 months, three treated and three untreated implants were placed in each animal. At 3 and 8 weeks postimplantation, the animals were sacrificed, and the implants with surrounding bone were harvested, fixed with formaldehyde, and processed for embedding in LR White. Sections of bone with the implants were prepared, stained with Stevenel's blue and Alizarin red, and analyzed histomorphometrically for percentage of bone-to-implant contact (BIC), percentage of mineralized bone area between threads (BABT), and percentage of mineralized bone area within the mirror area (BAMA). Data were analyzed statistically using two-way analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Treated implants exhibited significantly more (P<0.05) BIC than control, untreated ones both at 3 (68.1% vs. 27.9%) and 8 weeks (73.5% vs. 14.7%) postimplantation. However, there was no difference in the BABT and BAMA. Histological analysis confirmed that, in most cases, new bone in contact with the implant formed in a direction away from it.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that a controlled chemical oxidation of Ti implants significantly enhances contact osteogenesis and suggest that this treatment may be beneficial for early loading of implants.
Tavares
Marconi Gonzaga
MG
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
de Oliveira
Paulo Tambasco
PT
Nanci
Antonio
A
Hawthorne
Ana Carolina
AC
Rosa
Adalberto Luiz
AL
Xavier
Samuel Porfírio
SP
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D045662:Dental Etching / Q000379:methods*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D004285:Dogs; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D016348:Osseointegration; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D015921:Dental Implants; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D014025:Titanium; C033158:sulfuric acid