Formation of peri-implant soft-tissue attachment on sol-gel-derived TiO2-coated titanium implants

Formation of peri-implant soft-tissue attachment on sol-gel-derived TiO2-coated titanium implants
10 March 2005
S. ROSSI1, T. TIRRI1, N. MORITZ1, H. KUNTSI-VAATTOVAARA2, R.-M. TULAMO2, and T.O. N?—RHI1, 1 University of Turku, Finland, 2 University of Helsinki, Finland
IADR
Formation of peri-implant soft-tissue attachment on sol-gel-derived TiO2-coated titanium implants.
Objectives: In many cases firm soft tissue attachment could improve the outcome of dental implant treatment. We have recently reported that sol-gel derived TiO2-coating can encourage direct attachment between titanium substrate and rat subcutaneous connective tissue (CT). Aim of this study was to examine peri-implant soft tissue attachment on TiO2-coated dental implants in vivo. Methods: Sol-gel derived TiO2-coatings were prepared on the smooth upper part of Straumann¨?-implants (4.1mmx8.0mm) using dip coating method (n=18). The mandibular premolars P2-P4 were extracted bilaterally from six beagle dogs. After three months the experimental implants and uncoated control implants (n=18) were implanted in the extraction sites according to balanced split blot table. The animals were sacrificed after 8 weeks and the samples were processed for routine histologic/histomorphometric and TEM evaluations. Statistical evaluation was done by ANOVA. Results: Histological examination showed less inflammatory cells in CT around TiO2-coated implants than in control implants. No visible gap in between JE/CT and TiO2-coated implant surface was noticed in light microscopic examination whereas clear gap was seen in control implants. TEM evaluation revealed dense plaques of hemidesmosomes in JE cell membrane facing the TiO2-coated implant surface. In histomorfometric analysis the distance between the implant margin and crest of the alveolar bone was significantly shorter in TiO2-coated implants than in the control implants (p<0.02). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study it can be concluded that sol-gel derived TiO2-coating improves peri-implant soft tissue attachment on titanium implant in vivo.