Bone interface of dental implants cytologically influenced by a modified sandblasted surface: a preliminary in vitro...

To study the influences of a modified sandblasted surface (developed by the authors) on the integrating status of titanium (Ti) dental implants and bone in vitro, a three-dimensional experimental model of implant material-osteoblast culture was used. The interaction of Ti discs and osteoblasts at the interface was followed with phase-contrast microscope examination and was further observed histologically and ultra-structurally after one-month culture. Results showed that there was no significant difference between the modified sandblasted surface group and the smooth surface group in the capacity of osteoblasts migrating and attaching to Ti discs. There was, however, a significant difference in the pattern of attachment. Around the polished surface, the migrating and attaching osteoblasts oriented themselves parallel to it; however, around the modified sandblasted surface, the osteoblasts were migrating and attaching perpendicularly. There was also a major difference in the shapes of cells lining the interface; spindle-shaped on the smooth surface versus round and ovoid with a large cellular body and abundant cytoplasm on the modified sandblasted surface. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy revealed an active secretion of collagen fibrils, a bone-matrix-vesicles-mediated mineralization process, and the formation of osteocytes in the modified sandblasted surface group. Therefore, at this in vitro level, it can be concluded that the modified sandblasting surface treatment of dental implants can facilitate bone healing at their osseous interface and enable the real perpendicularly connecting bone-fiber osseointegration to form instead of the capsule-like osseous adaptation.