Micro/Nanostructured Bioactive Titanium Implant Surface with Sol-Gel Silicate Glass Nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Dental Implantology

Background:

• Titanium implants are widely used in dentistry.
• Improving implant surface properties is crucial for better osseointegration and clinical outcomes.
• Bioactive glasses offer promising osteoconductive properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a surface coating of sol-gel 70S30C bioactive glass (BAG) nanoparticles on titanium disks and dental implants.
• To characterize the BAG coating's average surface roughness, adhesion strength, and stability during implant insertion.

Main Methods:

• Bioactive glass (BAG) was synthesized using a sol-gel technique and milled into nanoparticles (<20 nm).
• Titanium disks and implants were coated with BAG nanoparticles via electrophoretic deposition.
• Surface roughness, adhesion strength (pull-off tests), and coating stability (post-insertion analysis) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Electrophoretic deposition yielded a continuous, homogenous BAG coating with a porous nanostructure and uniform thickness (35.38 ± 4.67 μm).
• BAG-coated implants exhibited significantly lower average surface roughness (1.45 ± 0.23 μm) compared to uncoated implants (3.34 ± 0.45 μm).
• The coating demonstrated considerable adhesion strength (18.51 ± 3.37 MPa) and retained 66.23 ± 10.23% of its weight after insertion into artificial bone, with thickness reduction only at high-friction sites.

Conclusions:

• Electrophoretic deposition is an effective method for coating titanium implants with 70S30C BAG nanoparticles.
• The resulting BAG coating provides a homogenous surface with moderate roughness, strong adhesion, and high stability during clinical insertion.
• This bioactive glass nanoparticle coating holds potential for enhancing dental implant performance.