Characterization and biocompatibility of a titanium dental implant with a laser irradiated and dual-acid etched surface.

The biological properties of commercial pure titanium (cp-Ti) dental implants can be improved by surface treatment. In this study, the cp-Ti surfaces were prepared to enable machined surfaces (TM) to be compared to the machined, sandblasted, laser irradiated and dual-acid etched surfaces (TA). The surface elements and roughness were characterized. The biocompatibility was evaluated by cell and organ culture in vitro. The removal torque was measured in rabbit implantation. Surface characterization revealed that TA surface was more oxidized than TM surface. The TA surface had micrometric, beehive-like coarse concaves. The average roughness (2.28 mum) was larger than that typical of acid-etched surfaces. Extracts of both materials were not cytotoxic to bone cells. The morphology of cells attached on the TA surface was superior to that on the TM surface. TA promoted cell migration and repaired damaged bones more effectively in organ culture. The formation of bone-like nodules on TA disk exceeded that on TM disk. Rabbit tibia implantation also proved that TA implant had greater removal torque value. These results suggested that TA had good osteoconductivity and was a potential material for dental implantation.