Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the influence of a novel surface of dental implants (ContacTi®) on the osseointegration process in a minipig model. The surface was compared with other existing surfaces on the market (SLA® and SLActive®) by employing bone implant contact analysis (BIC) and implant stability.
Method: Twelve minipigs were used with prior authorisation from an ethics committee. Three types of surfaces were tested: SLA® (sand-blasted acid-etched titanium), SLActive® (same but hydrophilic, performed under a nitrogen atmosphere), and ContacTi® (alumina particle bombardment of titanium, bioactivated when treated thermochemically) in 4.1 mm × 8 mm implants with internal connection and a polished neck. Twelve implants of each surface type (N = 36) were placed, sacrificing 1/3 of the animals at 2 weeks of placement, 1/3 at 4 weeks and the remaining 1/3 at 8 weeks. Numerical variables were compared with Analysis of Variance, and the correlation between ISQ and BIC was established with the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.
Results: SLActive® and ContacTi® surfaces showed elevated osteoconductivity at 4 weeks, maintaining a similar evolution at 8 weeks (large amount of mature lamellar tissue with high maturity and bone quality). The SLA® surface showed slower maturation. The ISQ values in surgery were elevated (above 65), higher at necropsy and higher at 4 and 8 weeks in the SLA® group than in the other two (SLActive® and ContacTi®). No significant correlation was found between ISQ and BIC for each implant surface and necropsy time.
Conclusion: The three surfaces analysed showed high RFA and BIC values, which were more favourable for the SLActive® and ContacTi® surfaces. No statistical correlation was found between the RFA and BIC values in any of the three surfaces analysed.
Keywords: Bioactive Implants; Histomorfometric analytic; Implant surface; Oral implants; minipigs.