Bone responses to titanium implants surface-roughened by sandblasted and double etched treatments in a rabbit model

Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate bone responses to titanium implants surface-roughened by sandblasted and double-etched treatments in a rabbit model. Study design. Sixty implants of 10 mm in length (30 machined and 30 roughened) were inserted into femurs of 30 rabbits and 30 implants of 8 mm in length (15 machined and 15 roughened) were inserted into tibias of 15 rabbits. At 2, 4, and 8 weeks postimplantation, femurs and tibias were retrieved and prepared for removal torque tests (RTQ) and histomorphometric evaluation, respectively. Results. The roughened implants showed 66.21%, 89.06%, and 115.00% greater RTQ values than did the machined implants at 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Histomorphometric evaluation demonstrated the roughened implants significantly increased bone-implant contact and peri-implant bone formation during all observation periods. Conclusion. These results suggest this surface-roughened approach provides the implant surface with a considerable osteoconductive potential promoting a high level of bone integration with bone. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2008;106:516-24)