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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
An Improved Mechanical Testing Method to Assess Bone-implant Anchorage
Published on: February 10, 2014
Bone apposition around two different sandblasted and acid-etched titanium implant surfaces: a histomorphometric study
Michael M Bornstein1, Pilar Valderrama, Archie A Jones
1Department of Oral Surgery and Stomatology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to evaluate bone apposition to a modified sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) implant surface (modSLA) in the canine mandible as compared with the standard SLA surface.
Material And Methods:
In this experimental study, all mandibular premolars and first molars were extracted bilaterally in five foxhounds. After a healing period of 6 months, each side of the mandible received six randomly assigned dental implants alternating between the standard SLA and modSLA surface. The dogs were sacrificed at 2 weeks (n=2) or 4 weeks (n=3) after implant placement. Histologic and histomorphometric analyses were then performed for each implant.
Results:
The microscopic healing patterns at weeks 2 and 4 for the two implant types with the standard SLA and modSLA surfaces showed similar qualitative findings. New bone tissue had already established direct contact with implant surfaces after 2 weeks of healing. The mean percentage of newly formed bone in contact with the implant (BIC) was significantly greater for modSLA (28.2+/-7.9%) than for SLA (22.2+/-7.3%) (P<0.05). This difference was no longer evident after 4 weeks. An increase in BIC for both implant surface types occurred from weeks 2 to 4. This increase was statistically significant when compared with SLA at 2 weeks (P<0.05), but not when compared with modSLA at 2 weeks.
Conclusion:
The data from the present study demonstrate significantly more bone apposition for the modSLA surface than the standard SLA surface after 2 weeks of healing. This increased bone apposition may allow a further reduction of the healing period following implant placement for patients undergoing early loading procedures.
