Biomimetic calcium phosphate composite coating of dental implants

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that calcium phosphate coating of titanium screw-type implants enhances peri-implant bone formation in the jaw.

Ten adult female foxhounds received experimental titanium screw-type implants in the mandible 3 months after removal of all premolar teeth. Four types of implants were evaluated in each animal: implants with machined titanium surface (the control group), implants coated with collagen I (the collagen-only group), implants with a composite coating of calcium phosphate and mineralized collagen I (the composite group), and implants with calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite [HA]) coating (the HA-only group). Peri-implant bone regeneration was assessed histomorphometrically after 1 and 3 months in 5 dogs each by measuring bone-implant contact (BIC) and the volume density of the newly formed peri-implant bone (BVD).

After 1 month, BIC was significantly enhanced only in the group of implants with composite coating of calcium phosphate and mineralized collagen (P = .038). Volume density of the newly formed peri-implant bone was significantly higher in all coated implants after 1 month. No significant difference from baseline was found in BIC for the collagen-only and HA-only groups, but BVD was significantly higher in implants with composite coating (P = .041). After 3 months, BIC and BVD were significantly higher in all coated implants than in the controls with machined surfaces.

It was concluded that composite coating of dental screw-type implant surfaces using calcium phosphate and collagen can enhance BIC and peri-implant bone formation.