Surface Modifications of Dental Implants: An Overview

Osseointegration is the key for long term success of endosseous dental implants. Implant surface properties like roughness, topography, energy and composition are the major surface features that influence the process of osseointegration. Several methods have been used to optimize implant surface roughness to increase surface area thereby improving the process of osseointegration. Blasting using alumina and titanium dioxide, acid treatment, anodization, and laser peeling are some of the subtractive methods used to optimize implant surface roughness. Additive methods, on the other hand, are used to coat HA onto the surface of endosseous implants and these include plasma sprayed HA, vacuum deposition technique, solgel and dip coating method, electrolytic process and nano-HA coating. Recently, biomimetic implant surfaces are being produced with calcium phosphate coatings under physiological conditions. These coatings may also act as vehicles for osteogenic agents like BMPs, GDFs and biologically active drugs like bisphosphonates, gentamicin, tetracycline, etc. Methods used for surface modifications of endosseous dental implants are vast and continuously evolving with the recently developed technologies. This article gives an overview of various surface modifications and current trends followed in the field oral implantology. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Correspondence: *Corresponding author Email Address: Email: narasimhag@vdc.edu.in How to cite this article: Narasimha Rao G, Pampana S, Yarram A, Suresh Sajjan MC, Ramaraju AV, Bheemalingeswara Rao D. Surface Modifications of Dental Implants: An Overview. Int J Dent Mater. 1(1): 1724. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.37983/IJDM.2019.1103 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________