Effects of titanium surfaces blasted with TiO2 particles on the initial attachment of cells derived from human mandibular bone. A scanning electron microscopic and histomorphometric analysis.

This study was performed to determine the effect of commercially pure titanium surfaces blasted with TiO2 particles on the biological responses of cells derived from human mandibular bone. The morphology and attachment of those cells were investigated on turned titanium surfaces (control) and surfaces blasted with 45 microns (standard), 45-63 microns, and 63-90 microns TiO2 particles. The surfaces were analyzed in a scanning electron microscope. Based on surface analyses reported elsewhere, the turned samples had the smoothest surfaces and the roughest were those blasted with the largest particles (63-90 microns). The cell profile areas were measured using a semi-automatic interactive image analyzer. The attachment was determined as a ratio of the area of cell profiles and the total micrograph area and was expressed as percentage of attachment. Morphologically, the cells were heterogeneous. In general, the cells had spread well on all titanium surfaces, indicating good attachment to both smooth and rough surfaces. After 1, 3 and 6 h, the percentage of cell attachment did not differ significantly between the surfaces blasted with 63-90 microns and the turned surfaces, but was significantly lower on the surfaces blasted with 45 microns or 45-63 microns particles. After 24 h the surfaces blasted with 63-90 microns particles had a higher rate of cell attachment than all the other surfaces including the controls. It is concluded that attachment and growth of cells originating from human mandibular bone in vitro, are influenced by the micro-texture of the implant surface.