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Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Multi-Scale Modification of Metallic Implants With Pore Gradients, Polyelectrolytes and Their Indirect Monitoring In vivo
Published on: July 1, 2013
Early osseointegration of micro-arc oxidation coated titanium alloy implants containing Ag: a histomorphometric study
Mingchao Ding1, Jin Shi1, Weiqi Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases and Shaanxi Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 145 Changle Xi Road, Xi'an, 710032, People's Republic of China.
Background:
This study aimed to evaluate bone response to micro-arc oxidation coated titanium alloy implants containing Ag.
Methods:
144 titanium alloy implants were prepared by machine grinding and divided into three treatment groups as following, SLA group: sand-blasting and acid-etched coating; MAO group: micro-arc oxidation without Ag coating; MAO + Ag group: micro-arc oxidation containing Ag coating. Surface characterization of three kind of implants were observed by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope and roughness analysis. The implants were inserted into dog femurs. 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation, the bone response to the implant to the bone was evaluated by push-out experiment, histological and fluorescent labeling analysis.
Results:
MAO + Ag group consisted of a mixture of anatase and rutile. Ag was found in the form of Ag2O on the surface. The surface morphology of MAO + Ag group seemed more like a circular crater with upheaved edges and holes than the other two groups. The surface roughness of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group, but no statistical difference between MAO and MAO + Ag groups. The contact angles in MAO + Ag group was smallest and the surface free energy was the highest among three groups. The maximum push-out strength of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group at all time point, the value of MAO + Ag group was higher than MAO group at 4 and 8 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy examination for the surface and cross-section of the bone segments and fluorescent labeling analysis showed that the ability of bone formation and osseointegration in MAO + Ag group was higher than that of the other two groups.
Conclusion:
The micro-arc oxidation combination with Ag coating is an excellent surface modification technique to posse porous surface structure and hydrophilicity on the titanium alloy implants surface and exhibits desirable ability of osseointegration.
