Sequential Healing at Calcium- versus Calcium Phosphate-Modified Titanium Implant Surfaces: An Experimental Study in Dogs

PurposeThe aim of this paper was to study the sequential healing of bone tissues at implants with different configuration and different modified surfaces.Materials and MethodsTwelve Beagle dogs were used. Extractions of all teeth from the second premolar to the first molar were performed in both sides of the mandible. After 3 months, full-thickness flaps were elevated and two implants of different systems and with different surfaces were randomly installed in the premolar region in one side of the mandible. One surface was acid etched and further modified with calcium ions (BTI unicCa (R)), the other was sandblasted and acid etched plus a nanometer calcium phosphate deposition (3i T3 (R)). The flaps were sutured to allow a fully submerged healing. The surgery on the other side of the mandible and the sacrifices were planned in such a way to obtain biopsies representing the healing after 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks (n=6 per period).ResultsAfter 1 and 2 weeks of healing, the mean values of new bone apposition on the implant surfaces were 5.93.3% and 29.8 +/- 16.0% at BTI unicCa and 4.6 +/- 3.3% and 12.4 +/- 5.6% at 3i T3, respectively. After 4 and 8 weeks, the percentage increased, being 49.4 +/- 8.1% and 63.6 +/- 7.3% at BTI unicCa and 40.3 +/- 10.0% and 47.3 +/- 20.2 at 3i T3, respectively. Differences statistically significant between the two surfaces were found only at the 2- and 4-week observation periods. Concomitantly, the old bone was resorbed at both surfaces from about 15-17% after 1 week to about 4-6% after 8 weeks of healing.ConclusionModerately rough surfaces modified with calcium ions or discrete calcium phosphate nanocrystalline deposition showed similar patterns of sequential healing. Higher new bone percentages were found at BTI unicCa compared with the 3i T3 implants, the difference being statistically significant at 2 and 4 weeks observation.