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In vivo comparison of the osseointegration of vacuum plasma sprayed titanium‐ and hydroxyapatite‐coated implants
Author(s) -
Aebli Nikolaus,
Krebs Jörg,
Stich Hermann,
Schawalder Peter,
Walton Mark,
Schwenke Daryl,
Gruner Heiko,
Gasser Beat,
Theis JeanClaude
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1552-4965
pISSN - 1549-3296
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.a.10508
Subject(s) - osseointegration , materials science , titanium , implant , coating , titanium alloy , biomedical engineering , surface roughness , dentistry , biocompatibility , composite material , alloy , metallurgy , medicine , surgery
Abstract For the last 15 years, orthopedic implants have been coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) to improve implant fixation. The osteoconductive effect of HA coatings has been demonstrated in experimental and clinical studies. However, there are ongoing developments to improve the quality of HA coatings. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a rough and highly crystalline HA coating applied by vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) had a positive effect on the osseointegration of special, high‐grade titanium (Ti) implants with the same surface roughness. Ti alloy implants were coated (VPS) with special, high‐grade Ti or HA. The osseointegration of the implants was evaluated by either light microscopy or pullout tests after 1, 2, and 4 weeks of unloaded implantation in the cancellous bone of 18 sheep. The interface shear strength increased significantly over all time intervals. By 4 weeks, values had reached ∼10 N /mm 2 . However, the difference between the coatings was not significant at any time interval. Direct bone–implant contact was significantly different between the coatings after 2 and 4 weeks, and reached 46% for Ti and 68% for HA implants by 4 weeks. This study indicates that the use of a rough and highly crystalline HA coating, applied by VPS, enhances early osseointegration. Accelerated establishment of secondary implant fixation decreases the risk of early loosening. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 66A: 356–363, 2003