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Updated: May 9, 2026
Biological Compatibility Profile on Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration
Published on: November 16, 2018
The soft tissue immunologic response to hydroxyapatite-coated transmucosal implant surfaces: a study in humans
Elisabeth A W J De Wilde1, Ryo Jimbo, Ann Wennerberg
1Department of Periodontology & Oral Implantology, Dental School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
Objective:
To evaluate the soft tissue response in humans immunologically and histologically after placement of mini-implants coated with or without nano-size hydroxyapatite coatings.
Material And Methods:
Commercially pure (cp) titanium mini-implants (n = 13) or nano-hydroxyapatite-coated ones (n = 12) were randomly placed into partially edentulous jaws. Crevicular fluid was sampled 1 week after placement and subjected to quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis to explore the inflammatory markers. After 8 weeks, implants and surrounding soft and hard tissue were trephined, and undecalcified ground sections were prepared. Inflammatory cell accumulation within a defined region of interest in the soft tissue was quantified histomorphometrically.
Results:
No statistically significant differences in immunological response to the different implant surfaces were found for IL-6 (p = .438), TGF-β2 (p = .467), MMP-8 (p = .758), CCL-3 (p = .758), IL-8 (p = .771), and IL-1β (0.771). Histomorphometric evaluation presented no statistically significant difference between the two mini-implant surfaces with regards to number of inflammatory cells (p = .669).
Conclusion:
Nano-hydroxyapatite-coated surfaces in the transmucosal region yielded similar inflammatory response and is suggested to be as biocompatible as commercially pure titanium surfaces.
