Topographic and in vitro evaluation of titanium surfaces coated with bioative glass

Abstract Objective To evaluate and compare the surface roughness and the activity of the osteoblasts in contact with a new bioactive and nanostructured surface of grade 4 titanium coated with bioactive glass containing calcium phosphate synthesized by the sol-gel method. Material and method Sixty-three titanium disks, measuring 4 × 2 mm, were prepared and divided into three groups: rough surface, obtained by sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) treatment (Ticp); SLA surface coated with bioglass and dried in a vacuum at 37 °C for 10 days (BGTi37) and SLA surface coated with bioglass and dried in air at 600 °C for 5 hours (BGTi600). Three specimens of each group were used for evaluation of surface topography and 18 for cell cultures. Result The bioactive glass coating decreased the average roughness when compared to rough titanium surface. The proportion of viable cells, the production of alkaline phosphatase and the degree of mineralization of the bone matrix in contact with the titanium specimens of the BGTi600 group was significantly lower in relation to the control and rough titanium surface groups. Conclusion Despite its marked lower roughness, BGTi37 surface presented a similar biological behavior to a titanium rough surface obtained by SLA treatment. The other experimental surface (BGTi600), the one with the least roughness among all tested, presented the worst results of osteoblast activation.