Attachment and proliferation of human oral fibroblasts to titanium surfaces blasted with TiO2 particles. A scanning electron microscopic and histomorphometric analysis.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of c.p. titanium surfaces blasted with TiO2 particles on the biological responses of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Fibroblast morphology and attachment were investigated on turned (control) titanium surfaces and those blasted with 45 microns (standard), 45-63 microns, and 63-90 microns TiO2 particles. The specimens were analyzed using a confocal laser scanner and SEM. The cell profile areas were measured using a semiautomatic interactive image analyser. The figures were expressed as percent of attachment. The turned samples had the smoothest surfaces and the roughest were those blasted with 63-90 microns. All TiO2 blasted specimens had homogeneous surfaces. Cells appeared to flatten, spread and form cellular bridges with the adjacent cells. Fibroblasts on the turned titanium surfaces appeared to follow the direction of the fine irregularities on the surface but tended to spread haphazardly on the blasted surfaces. The attachment assays showed no significant difference in the percentage of fibroblast cell attachment on the standard surfaces compared to the turned surfaces. Both surfaces blasted with 45-63 microns or 63-90 microns had significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentages of cell attachment than the control. The surfaces blasted with 63-90 microns particles had the lowest rate of cell attachment. A significant correlation (P < 0.01) was found between the degree of particle size and attachment of fibroblasts after 1-72 h. It is concluded that surface micro-texture influences the attachment and growth of HGF: surfaces blasted with 45 microns TiO2 do not inhibit fibroblast attachment and smooth or finely grooved surfaces could be conducive to cellular attachment.