Biological performance of calcium phosphate films formed on commercially pure Ti by electron-beam evaporation.

Thin and defect-free calcium phosphate films with a Ca/P ratio of 1.62 were formed by electron-beam evaporation. The as-deposited films had average bonding strengths to the metal implants of 64.8 MPa and the dissolution rates of 47.5 nm/h in isotonic saline solutions. The interface mechanical characteristics and histology of the as-machined, as-blasted, and calcium phosphate coating on the machined surfaces of commercially pure titanium were investigated. After a healing period of 12 weeks, the implants were unscrewed with a torque gauge instrument at the day of sacrifice. The coated sample showed a removal torque of 48.5 Ncm (SD 5.4) compared to 32.3 Ncm (SD 2.91) for the uncoated implant with the same surface roughness, and 47.3 Ncm (SD 5.8) for the grit blasted screw. The histomorphometric analyses of the calcium-phosphate-coated implants revealed a mean of 52.4% (SD 6.3) as the highest bone to implant contact.