Anatase coating improves implant osseointegration in vivo.

Titanium is the gold standard among materials used for prosthetic devices because of its good mechanical and chemical properties. When exposed to oxygen, titanium becomes an oxide that is biocompatible and able to induce osseointegration. There are three allotropic forms of titanium dioxide: brookite, rutile, and anatase. Anatase can be prepared as a colloidal suspension and then used to coat surfaces. Anatase coating (AC) can potentially have specific biologic effects. We test the effect of AC on bone throughout an in vivo study by using dental implants covered with AC and then inserted in rabbit tibia. The histologic analysis has demonstrated that 1) bone growth is more evident around AC fixtures than in controls and 2) a more mature bone is present in the periimplant AC surface than in controls. Therefore, we have demonstrated that AC enhances implant osseointegration.