Micro/Nanostructured Bioactive Titanium Implant Surface with Sol-Gel Silicate Glass Nanoparticles.

This article focuses on the development and characterization of a sol-gel derived 70S30C bioactive glass (BAG) nanoparticle coating on titanium dental implants using electrophoretic deposition. The BAG coating, composed of nanoparticles under 20 nm, formed a uniform, porous, and amorphous layer approximately 35 μm thick, exhibiting moderate surface roughness (Sa ≈ 1.45 μm) and strong adhesion strength (~18.5 MPa) to the titanium substrate. Mechanical testing demonstrated that over 60% of the coating remained intact after implant insertion into polyurethane blocks simulating bone, with coating loss primarily occurring at high-friction areas such as thread crests and flanks; similar results were observed after insertion into bovine rib bone. These findings suggest that electrophoretic deposition of 70S30C BAG nanoparticles produces a mechanically stable and bioactive implant surface coating potentially beneficial for enhancing osseointegration, especially in medically compromised patients, though further in vivo and clinical studies are recommended.