Morphological and chemical characterizations of the interface of a hydroxyapatite-coated implant

The present study aimed at morphological and chemical characterization of the coating-substrate interface of a commercially available dental implant coated with plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA). For this purpose, elements in the chemically and mechanically exposed substrate surfaces were analyzed by EPMA and XPS. A thin titanium oxide film containing Ca and P was found at the interface. When the implant was subjected to mechanical stress, a mixed mode of cohesive and interfacial fractures occurred. The cohesive fracture was due to separation of the oxide film from the substrate, while the interfacial fracture was due to exfoliation of the coating from the oxide film bonded to the substrate. Analysis showed diffusion of Ca into the metal substrate, hence indicating the presence of chemical bond at the interface. However, mechanical interlocking seemed to play the major role in the interfacial bond.