Bioactive Effects of Low-Temperature Argon-Oxygen Plasma on a Titanium Implant Surface

Lei Wang; Weiwei Wang; Hongmei Zhao; Yanshan Liu; Jie Liu; Na Bai

doi:10.1021/acsomega.9b03504

Bioactive Effects of Low-Temperature Argon-Oxygen Plasma on a Titanium Implant Surface

ACS Omega. 2020 Feb 18;5(8):3996-4003. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03504. eCollection 2020 Mar 3.

Authors

Lei Wang^{1

2

3}, Weiwei Wang^{1

2}, Hongmei Zhao^{1

2}, Yanshan Liu^{2

4

3}, Jie Liu^{1

2}, Na Bai^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Prosthodontics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong, China.
² School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong, China.
³ Dental Digital Medicine & 3D Printing Engineering Laboratory, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong, China.
⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong, China.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States.

Abstract

Although titanium is the most commonly used dental implant material, its biological aging directly leads to a lower rate of osseointegration. The aim of this study is to treat aged titanium disc surfaces using low-temperature argon-oxygen plasma (LTAOP) to obtain a more hydrophilic surface in order to enhance biological activities of osteoblasts on dental implant materials. In this study, smooth-machined titanium (SM Ti) and sandblasted and acid-etched titanium (SLA Ti) substrates were used. Aged titanium discs (SM and SLA Ti) were activated by LTAOP and the surface properties were analyzed. Osteoblasts were then seeded onto the aged and LTAOP-treated surfaces. Cell morphology, viability, and features of osteogenesis were examined. We showed that after the LTAOP treatment, the surfaces of both SM and SLA titanium substrates become more hydrophilic with a larger active oxygen species composition, whereas no obvious morphological changes were observed. Osteoblasts were found to be attached and stretched well on the surfaces of LTAOP treatment specimens. Moreover, the proliferation and osteocalcin secretion of osteoblasts on the plasma-activated titanium samples were superior to the untreated counterparts. LTAOP activation can enhance the attachment, proliferation, and mineralization of osteoblasts on the surfaces of the aged titanium substrates. This research provides a new strategy to modify the surface of titanium dental implants for improved biological functions.