Surface modifications on titanium, zirconia and peek implants

The book discusses briefly about the modifications that are created on the implant surfaces to enhance the osseointegration for better results. Newer materials PEEK have also been discussed which is a very new discovery and biocompatible. Surface modification mostly improves clot wettability, cell-implant adhesion, proliferation, and osseointegration, all of which contribute to the end of shorter healing time. Surface wettability describes the contact angle of a hydrophilic substance as it spreads out over to the surface of the interface in question (titanium). It is directly proportional to a substance’s hydrophilicity and is a key factor in osseointegration in that cell migration and adhesion to an implant’s surface is driven by adsorption of osteogenic proteins at the surface of the implant. These proteins have a higher affinity with hydrophilic surfaces rather than hydrophobic surfaces. While many different surface modification methods exist, they can be subdivided into two broad categories: additive methods and subtractive methods.