Titanium surface modification is critical for dental implant success. Our aim was to determine surfaces influence on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) viability and differentiation. Implants were divided into sandblasted/acid-etched (control) and sandblasted/acid-etched coated with calcium and magnesium ions (CaMg), supplied as composite, (test). Proliferation was evaluated by MTT, differentiation checking osteoblastic gene expression, PGE2 secretion and matrix formation, inflammation by Interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection. MTT and IL-6 do not modify on test. A PGE2 increase on test is recorded. BMP2 is higher on test at early experimental points, Osterix and RUNX2 augment later. Alizarin-red S reveals higher matrix production on test. These results suggest that test surface is more osteoinductive, representing a start point for in vivo studies aiming at the construction of more biocompatible dental implants, whose integration and clinical performance are improved and some undesired effects, such as implant stability loss and further surgical procedures, are reduced.

With the limitations of this animal study, it can be concluded that the design of the apical area influences the implant stability and the bone-to-implant contact.

Titanium (Ti) surface topography of dental implants strongly influences osseointegration. To this view, in the present work we have analyzed the influence of an ionized titanium surface on stem cell adhesion properties. Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) has been used in order to evaluate the influence of the ionized surface to the osteogenic commitment, extracellular matrix component production and cell adhesion molecules. The morphology of the cells grown onto this surface has been analyzed with SEM and the safety of the surface has been tested by means of karyotype analysis, by AMES test and by hemocompatibility assay. Results confirmed that at 25 days of cultures DPSCs show a substantial expression of some osteoblast specific markers and a strong increase of cell adhesion molecules.

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