Current Perspectives on Additive Manufacturing and Titanium Surface Nanotopography in Bone Formation

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Engineering
• Cellular Biology

Background:

• Ti6Al4V alloy is crucial for orthopedic implants.
• Manufacturing methods (conventional vs. additive) and surface treatments influence alloy properties.
• Understanding these impacts is vital for improving implant osseointegration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how conventional (Machined Discs - MD) and additive manufacturing (AD) methods, with and without surface treatments (MD-WT, AD-WT), affect Ti6Al4V alloy physicochemical properties.
• To correlate these properties with osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cellular behavior and osteogenic differentiation.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of surface topography (SEM, AFM), roughness, chemical composition (EDS, XRD), surface free energy, and zeta potential.
• Culturing MC3T3-E1 cells to assess morphology, viability, gene expression (Alpl, Ibsp, Bglap, Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and matrix mineralization.
• Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Holm-Sidak tests (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Additive-manufactured (AD) surfaces showed greater roughness and lower surface free energy compared to machined (MD) surfaces.
• Surface treatments (MD-WT, AD-WT) altered surface chemistry and topography.
• MD and AD surfaces demonstrated superior osteogenic differentiation potential, with AD exhibiting higher cell viability and osteoblastic differentiation.

Conclusions:

• Both machined and additive-manufactured Ti6Al4V surfaces, particularly when untreated, support osteogenic differentiation.
• Additive manufacturing offers a viable alternative, yielding surfaces with high cell viability and osteogenic potential.
• Surface characteristics significantly influence cellular response, guiding future implant design for enhanced osseointegration.