Effect of Air-Powder System on Titanium Surface on Fibroblast Adhesion and Morphology

/Home/Dental Implants (Prosthodontics)/Dental Implants (Prosthodontics)Articles & Reports/Group 3

Effect of Air-Powder System on Titanium Surface on Fibroblast Adhesion and Morphology
March 2003
Awad Shibli, Jamil DDS, MS*; Gonzales Silverio, Karina DDS, MS**; Compagnoni Martins, Marilia DDS, MS**; Marcantonio, Elcio Jr., DDS, MS, PhD**; Rossa, Carlos Jr., DDS, MS, PhD**
Implant Dentistry: Volume 12(1) March 2003 pp 81-86
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
*Department of Periodontology, Dental School at Araraquara, State University of Sao Paulo (UNESP), Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
**Department of Periodontology Dental School at Araraquara, State University of Sao Paulo (UNESP), Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Reprint requests and correspondence to:
Carlos Rossa Jr., DDS
Departamento de Periodontia
Faculdade de Odontologia de Araraquara, UNESP
Rua Humaita, 1680
14801-903 Araraquara, SP, Brasil
E-mail: crossajr@foar.unesp.br
The authors claim to have no financial interest in any company or any of the products mentioned in this article.
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the number and morphology of fibroblasts grown on machined titanium healing abutments treated with an air-powder system.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-six abutments were assigned to two experimental groups: control (no treatment) and treated (exposed to the Prophy-Jet for 30 seconds). The specimens were incubated for 24 hours with fibroblastic cells in multiwell plates, followed by routine laboratory processing for scanning electron microscope analysis. The specimens were photographed at ?Û350, and the cell number was counted on an area of approximately 200 um2.
Results: No significant differences were found on morphology between the groups (P > 0.05); however, the control group presented a significantly greater amount of cells (71.44 ¨± 31.93, mean ¨± SD) in comparison with treated group (35.31 ¨± 28.14), as indicated by a nonpaired t test (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: The use of an air-abrasive prophylaxis system on the surface of titanium healing abutments reduced the cells proliferation but did not influence cell morphology.
A direct contact between the dental implant surface and surrounding bone is preferred for the long-term success of dental implants. Nevertheless, in spite of a satisfactory osseointegration, this clinical success of dental implants can be guaranteed only if the integrity of periimplant mucosa is maintained by an attachment by hemidesmosomal connection of soft-tissue to the transmucosal implant surfaces. 1,2
On the other hand, it must be emphasized that clinical studies of the interface between gingival tissues and dental implants in humans are hampered by many difficulties, including ethical considerations. Many uncontrollable factors in the oral environment, as well as technical problems on sample preparations, impair experimental studies on soft-tissue behavior. In vitro experiments appear to circumvent most of these difficulties and thus can provide useful information on this subject. 3
Common clinical procedures such as professional maintenance performed with stainless steel and plastic curettes or abrasive pumice or air-powder abrasive system could to lead to alterations on the surface of titanium abutment, impairing, for example, adhesion of fibroblasts to this surface. Comparative experiments on the attachment and growth of human gingival fibroblasts and epithelial cells on titanium with different surface textures were carried out. 4,5 These studies showed that epithelial cells present more extensive migration on rough surfaces. However, gingival fibroblasts showed a more marked and oriented development on porous surfaces, which was also observed by other authors. 6,7
Even though rough surfaces could enhance fibroblast responses, they can also be considered rather disadvantageous because of the possibility of promoting growth and organization of bacterial biofilms, thus facilitating periimplant tissue infections such as mucositis and periimplantitis. 8
The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of using an air-powder abrasive system on titanium abutments on adhesion and morphology of fibroblasts.
Please visit the Web site to view the report in its entirety.