The Effect of Super-Hydrophilic Treatment on Zirconia Implant Osseointegration in Rats

: Surface modifications of implants can improve the rate of osseointegration. The aim of this study was to deter mine the effect of super-hydrophilic modification on tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP) implant surface and its subse quent effect on the rate of osseointegration. The TZP implants were rendered super-hydrophilic by the use of ultraviolet light (UV) or via atmospheric-pressure plasma treatments (PL), on their surface and were compared to control specimen that any surface modification wasn’t performed (NC). According to the surface wettability and x-ray photoelectron spec troscopy (XPS) analysis, the contact angle of water droplets on the surface of UV and PL was 0 degree, and their C1s peak was less than that of NC. The push-in test and histological analysis revealed that the super-hydrophilic modification en hanced the bone-implant integration and the formation of new bone around the TZP implants. Additionally, carbon removal and surface wettability enhancement likely improved the osseointegration rate. The study, therefore, demonstrates the de-sign of future TZP implants, particularly for dental applications. This study explored the effect of super-hydrophilic surface modifica tion on TZP implants and its subsequent effect on the rate of osseointe gration in rats. In this study, UV and PL were used. These treatments had no detrimental effect on the TZP implant surface and demonstrated sufficient capacity for carbon removal and super-hydrophilicity for TZP implants. UV and PL TZP implants demonstrated improved osseointe gration rate compared to NC. Super-hydrophilic surface treatments have been used to improve the osseointegration rate of titanium implants. Ultraviolet light exposure en hances protein adsorption, bone marrow cell adhesion, osteoblast differ -entiation, and osseointegration rate of titanium implants 12) . A previous study demonstrated that 4-week-aged, Ultraviolet light treated titanium surfaces increased bioactivity to a level comparable to or greater than that of freshly prepared surfaces, owing to the restoration of super-hy-drophilicity 13) . Plasma-treated titanium surfaces promoted osteoblast proliferation 14) and increased bone-to-implant contact 15,16) . Ultraviolet light treatment enhanced osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and mineralization in zirconia implants 22) and improved bone-to-implant contact and osseointegration 23) . Additionally, Plasma treatment enhanced the bio-compatibility of zirconia implants 24–26) . The findings of this study are consistent with those reported in the previous studies.