Nanoporous TiO(2) thin film on titanium oral implants for enhanced human soft tissue adhesion: a light and electron microscopy study.
BACKGROUND
Previous experimental studies have demonstrated direct soft tissue attachment for nanoporous titanium dioxide (TiO(2) ) thin film on implants, while implants without TiO(2) thin film have not shown this capability.


OBJECTIVE
The aims were to evaluate and compare TiO(2) surface-modified experimental microimplants with unmodified microimplants with respect to tissue interaction of the human oral mucosa evaluated by light microscopy on ground sections and semithin sections and transmission electron microscopy on ultrathin sections, and to characterize the inflammatory response and the level of the marginal bone resorption.


METHODS
The study was a single-center, randomized, comparative, clinical investigation with intrasubject comparison of implants with and without TiO(2) thin film in 15 patients.


RESULTS
Two comparator microimplants showed mild erythema and expulsion of fluids. The surrounding tissues around all test implants were clinically healthy. The oral mucosa in contact with the abutment part of the microimplant was 72% for the test implants and 48% for the comparator implants, a statistically significant difference (p =.0268). No statistically significant difference was found in other histological variables. The marginal bone loss in 14 weeks was 0.5 mm for the stable test (n = 11) and 1.7 mm for the stable comparator implants (n = 9; p = .0248).


CONCLUSIONS
The nanoporous TiO(2) surface modification has potential clinical benefits because of increased adherence of soft tissue and possible reduced bone resorption.
Wennerberg
Ann
A
Department of Prosthodontics, Malmö University, Sweden. ann.wennerberg@mah.se
Fröjd
Victoria
V
Olsson
Morgan
M
Nannmark
Ulf
U
Emanuelsson
Lena
L
Johansson
Petra
P
Josefsson
Yvonne
Y
Kangasniemi
Ilkka
I
Peltola
Timo
T
Tirri
Teemu
T
Pänkäläinen
Tuija
T
Thomsen
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000502:physiology*; D058608:Nanopores; D061366:Numbers Needed To Treat; D011859:Radiography; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D015921:Dental Implants; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium