Osseointegration assessment of chairside argon‐based nonthermal plasma‐treated Ca‐P coated dental implants

Abstract This study investigated the effect of an Argon‐based nonthermal plasma (NTP) surface treatment‐operated chairside at atmospheric pressure conditions applied immediately prior to dental implant placement in a canine model. Surfaces investigated comprised: Calcium‐Phosphate (CaP) and CaP + NTP (CaP‐Plasma). Surface energy was characterized by the Owens‐Wendt‐Rabel‐Kaelble method and chemistry by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Six adult beagles dogs received 2 plateau‐root form implants (n = 1 each surface) in each radii, providing implants that remained 1 and 3 weeks in vivo. Histometric parameters assessed were bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) and bone area fraction occupancy (BAFO). Statistical analysis was performed by Kruskall‐Wallis (95% level of significance) and Dunn's post‐hoc test. The XPS analysis showed peaks of Ca, C, O, and P for the CaP and CaP‐Plasma surfaces. Both surfaces presented carbon primarily as hydrocarbon (CC, CH) with lower levels of oxidized carbon forms. The CaP surface presented atomic percent values of 38, 42, 11, and 7 for C, O, Ca, and P, respectively, and the CaP‐Plasma presented increases in O, Ca, and P atomic percent levels at 53, 12, and 13, respectively, in addition to a decrease in C content at 18 atomic percent. At 1 week no difference was found in histometric parameters between groups. At 3 weeks significantly higher BIC and BAFO were observed for CaP‐Plasma treated surfaces. Surface elemental chemistry was modified by the Ar‐based NTP. Ar‐based NTP improved bone formation around plateau‐root form implants at 3 weeks compared with CaP treatment alone. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A:98–103, 2013.