The effect of surface roughness on early in vivo plaque colonization on titanium.

THE STUDY ASSESSES IN VIVO the surface roughness necessary to reduce plaque colonization on titanium after 24 hours. Three groups of 16 titanium disks were assigned to 3 different polishing groups (A, B, and C). The roughness was evaluated with a laser profilometer and the morphology with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Eight volunteers were enrolled and two stents were applied in the mandibular posterior region of each. Each stent supported 3 disks, one per group. The volunteers suspended oral hygiene for 24 hours, after which the stents were removed; one was processed for evaluation of the adherent biomass and the other for SEM study. On each specimen a global area of 100 x 125 microns was examined with SEM. The area was composed of five 20 x 25 microns randomly selected fields. For each field the density of bacteria and the morphotypes were recorded. The data quoted for the global area are cumulative of those observed in the 20 x 25 microns fields. Group A had a significantly smoother surface than groups B and C. The adherent microbial biomass determination and SEM evaluation revealed that group A contained less bacteria than the roughest group. The bacterial population was composed of cocci in group A, and of cocci and short and long rods in groups B and C. We conclude that a titanium surface with Ra < or = 0.088 microns and Rz < or = 1.027 microns strongly inhibits accumulation and maturation of plaque at the 24-hour time period and that such smoothness can be achieved in transgingival and healing implant components.

Adhesion properties of plasma sprayed hydroxylapatite coatings for orthopaedic prostheses.

Using Air Plasma Spraying (APS) and Vacuum Plasma Spraying (VPS) techniques, hydroxylapatite (HA) and mixtures of HA and titanium (Ti) were deposited on a Ti6A14V alloy (and on an AISI 316L steel) subjected to different surface treatments. The deposits were investigated for their crystallinity, thickness, and adhesion properties. Higher adhesion values were obtained with VPS rather than with APS. By utilising VPS, the deposition conditions were selected in order to achieve crystallinity values between 70 and 90%. The adhesion results depend on the crystallinity (increasing with its decrease), on the thickness (decreasing slightly with its increase) and especially on the surface finish of the metallic substrate. A porous Ti precoat was more effective than either chemical etching in HCl or sandblasting; sandblasting being the least effective. In particular, the double deposits consisting of a porous Ti precoat and a successive layer of HA proved to be most interesting for their higher adhesion properties and for their capability of providing primary stability due to the presence of the HA and secondary stability, in the case of its reabsorption, due to the porous metal.