Bone contact around acid-etched implants: a histological and histomorphometrical evaluation of two retrieved implants.

The surface characteristics of dental implants play an important role in their clinical success. One of the most important surface characteristics of implants is their surface topography or roughness. Many techniques for preparing dental implant surfaces are in clinical use: turning, plasma spraying, coating, abrasive blasting, acid etching, and electropolishing. The Osseotite surface is prepared by a process of thermal dual etching with hydrochloric and sulfuric acid, which results in a clean, highly detailed surface texture devoid of entrapped foreign material and impurities. This seems to enhance fibrin attachment to the implant surface during the clotting process. The authors retrieved 2 Osseotite implants after 6 months to repair damage to the inferior alveolar nerve. Histologically, both implants appeared to be surrounded by newly formed bone. No gaps or fibrous tissues were present at the interface. The mean bone-implant contact percentage was 61.3% (+/- 3.8%).