Studies on osteogenic and bacterial adhesion behaviours of titanium based bioimplants with surface modifications

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys are widely used as orthopaedic and dental implant material due to their favourable properties. Osseointegration and antibacterial properties are most desirable requirements in implantation. Globally researchers are exploring strategies to enhance osseointegration and reduce the risk of bacterial adhesion on the implant surfaces. Literature revealed that tuning of implant surfaces through texturing and customized coatings have potential to enhance osseointegration and endorse antibacterial behaviours. Therefore, the present research explores the effect of laser treatment, and hydroxyapatite (HAp) and TiN-Ag coating on the osseointegration and antibacterial behaviours ofcommercially pure Ti and Ti6Al4V alloy implants. newlineThe surface of the samples were physically modified by laser irradiation, texturing, and HAp and TiN-Ag coatings. The HAp coating was applied using an oil of turpentine suspension and theTiN-Ag coating by PVD technique. The surface s characterization was carried out by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The wettability of the surfaces was assessed using sessile drop technique. The response of osteoblasts cells seeded on modified surfaces were investigated using fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The bacterial adhesion behaviour was evaluated through the inoculation by S. aureus bacterial strain. newlineThe studies show that the HAp coated and laser textured Ti6Al4V samples have superior osseointegration and antibacterial properties than the polished and laser irradiated samples due to the favourable surface topography, surface chemistry, and hydrophilicity. Their better antibacterial behaviour is mainly due to the conflicting hydrophobic-hydrophilic nature of the S. aureus bacterial strain and the modified surface. Both the coatings have improved the cell adhesion and proliferation, with the TiN-Ag coated textured samples showed better osteointegration and preferential alignment.