Enhancing Biomedical Implants: Atomic Force Microscopy Insights into Modified Titanium Surfaces

Medical implants are frequently used to treat musculoskeletal and dental conditions, with titanium materials standing out for their high biocompatibility. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), as an imaging and force spectroscopy tool, has emerged as a valuable technique to investigate cell-implant interactions at the nanoscale level. Here, we describe different AFM-based methodologies for the structural and nanomechanical characterization of titanium-based materials to be used as implant scaffolds in tissue engineering. These new applied methodologies may help on validating the osteointegrative potential of drugs and biomedical materials, essential to unravel the mechanisms underlying bone regeneration and to support the development of next-generation implants.