The biocompatibility of SLA-treated titanium implants

Abstract

The titanium implant surface was sandblasted with large grits and acid etched (SLA) to increase the implant surface for osseointegration. The topography of the titanium surface was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a profilometer. The SLA implant demonstrated uniform small micro pits (1-2 mu m in diameter). The values of average roughness (R(a)) and maximum height (R(t)) were 1.19 mu m and 10.53 mu m respectively after sandblasting and the acid-etching treatment. In the cell-surface interaction study, the human osteoblast cells grew well in vitro. The in vivo evaluation of the SLA implant placed in rabbit tibia showed good bone-to-implant contact (BIC) with a mean value of 29% in total length of the implant. In the short-term clinical study, SLA implants demonstrated good clinical performance, maintaining good crestal bone height.