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Updated: May 6, 2026
An Improved Mechanical Testing Method to Assess Bone-implant Anchorage
Published on: February 10, 2014
Biomechanical and histological evaluation of four different titanium implant surface modifications: an experimental
José Luis Calvo-Guirado1, Marta Satorres, Bruno Negri
1Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Objectives:
This study presents a biomechanical comparison of bone response to commercially pure titanium screws with four different types of surface topographies placed in the tibial metaphysis of 30 rabbits.
Materials And Methods:
One hundred twenty implants were tested double-blinded: (a) blasted, acid-etched, and discrete crystal deposition (DCD), (b) blasted, (c) acid-etched, and (d) blasted and acid-etch. Resonance frequency analysis (RFA/ISQ), reverse torque values (RTV), and bone-to-implant contact (BIC) were measured at the time of implant insertion (day 0), 15, 28, and 56 days of healing.
Results:
All groups tested demonstrated increased RFA/ISQ and RTV results over the time course. At 15 days, the blasted, acid-etched, and DCD group demonstrated a non-significant trend toward higher values when compared to the blasted and etched group (33.0 ± 16 vs. 26.3 ± 12 Ncm, p = .16). At 56 days, the groups utilizing blasting to create additional surface roughness (Sa > 1 micron) showed a statistical significant difference in RTQ versus the non-blasted group (38.5 ± 14 vs. 29.5 ± 9 Ncm, p = .03).
Conclusions:
Within the limitations of this study, only the increase in surface roughness (Ra > 1) at 56 days demonstrated statistically significant effects on RTQ. Other additional surface features, such as sub-micron scale DCD, demonstrated improved healing trends but without significance for clinical applications.
