Titanium fixture implants treated by laser in dentistry: Review article

Unlocking the potential: laser surface modifications for titanium dental implants

The review critically evaluates the current state of studies investigating laser irradiation for modifying titanium surfaces to enhance the biointegration of dental implants. Laser modification is a rapidly evolving physicochemical surface modification process with the potential to revolutionize dental implant technology. A thorough search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and Web of Knowledge, was conducted to identify relevant articles. The review focuses on the surface features of laser-modified implants, encompassing in vitro cell culture experiments, rare animal experiments, and limited clinical trials. Of the 26 selected sources, 21 describe surface features, while only two involve in vivo human experiments. The review highlights the lack of long-term clinical experience and calls for further research to mature these technologies. Despite the absence of a consensus on optimal laser types and settings, the overall results are promising, with few negative outcomes. As research in laser irradiation of titanium surfaces progresses, significant advancements in dental implant technology and improved patient well-being are anticipated.

Influence of Er:YAG laser irradiation on surface properties of Ti-6Al-4V machined and hydroxyapatite coated

Surface treatment by laser irradiation can change the topography of titanium; however, little is known about the changes it causes when applied to other coatings. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of Er:YAG laser irradiation on the surface properties of titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) discs. Four Ti-6Al-4V surfaces were evaluated (n = 10): CON-control, machined without surface treatment; LT-machined + laser treatment; HA-hydroxyapatite coating; and LT-HA-hydroxyapatite coating + laser treatment. For the laser treatment, an Er:YAG laser with a wavelength of 2940 nm, a frequency of 10 Hz, and an energy density of 12.8 J/cm2 was used. The morphology of the coating was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and the surface composition by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The influence of laser irradiation treatment on roughness and wettability was also evaluated. The Er:YAG laser promoted a significant reduction in the roughness Sa (p < 0.05) and in the contact angle (p = 0.002) of the LT surface compared to the CON surface. On the LT-HA surface, a significant decrease in roughness was observed only for the Rz parameter (p = 0.015) and an increase in the contact angle (p < 0.001) compared to the HA surface. The use of the Er:YAG laser with the evaluated parameters decreased the surface roughness and improved the wetting capacity of machined without surface treatment. In the group with hydroxyapatite coating, the laser influenced the surface roughness only for the parameter Rz and reduced their wetting capacity.

Biocompatibility of micro/nano structures on the surface of Ti6Al4V and Ti-based bulk metallic glasses induced by femtosecond laser

Femtosecond laser surface modification has been proved to be a versatile technology to create various functional materials by modifying solid surface properties. An interesting experimental phenomenon is found by exposing a Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti-based metallic glass to femtosecond laser irradiation. The research results show that the femtosecond laser induces different micro-nano structures on the surfaces of Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti-based metallic glass. Spherical structure and LIPSS (Laser-induced periodic surface structures) can be formed on the surface of Ti6Al4V alloy after femtosecond laser irradiation. On the surface of Ti-based metallic glass, LIPSS, SWPSS (Super-wavelength periodic surface structure) and neatly arranged microholes structures can be found. Under the same laser parameters, the micro-nano structures showed different evolution trends on the Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti-based metallic glass surfaces. The difference in surface structure between Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti-based metallic glass is since amorphous materials have no crystal lattice and a fixed melting temperature. In addition, there are differences in the biocompatibility of different surface structures. The size and distance of the micro-pits on the surface of different structures determine the ability of cells to adhesion, proliferate and differentiate. This conclusion has important significance for the application of Ti6Al4V alloy and Ti-based metallic glass in the field of biomedicine.

Mechanical Properties and Residual Stress Measurements of Grade IV Titanium and Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-13Nb-13Zr Titanium Alloys after Laser Treatment

Nowadays, surface engineering focuses on research into materials for medical applications. Titanium and its alloys are prominent, especially Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-13Nb-13Zr. Samples made of pure grade IV titanium and the titanium alloys Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-13Nb-13Zr were modified via laser treatment with laser beam frequency f = 25 Hz and laser beam power P = 1000 W during a laser pulse with duration t = 1 ms. Subsequently, to analyze the properties of the obtained surface layers, the following tests were performed: scanning electron microscopy, chemical and phase composition analysis, wetting angle tests and roughness tests. The assessment of the impact of the laser modification on the internal stresses of the investigated materials was carried out by comparing the values of the stresses of the laser-modified samples to those of the reference samples. The obtained results showed increased values of tensile stresses after laser modification: the highest value was found for the Ti-6Al-4V alloy at 6.7434 GPa and the lowest for pure grade IV titanium at 3.742 GPa. After laser and heat treatment, a reduction in the stress was observed, together with a significant increase in the hardness of the tested materials, with the highest value for Ti-6Al-4V alloy at 27.723 GPa. This can provide better abrasion resistance and lower long-term toxicity, both of which are desirable when using Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys for implant materials.

Multi-Scale Surface Treatments of Titanium Implants for Rapid Osseointegration: A Review

The propose of this review was to summarize the advances in multi-scale surface technology of titanium implants to accelerate the osseointegration process. The several multi-scaled methods used for improving wettability, roughness, and bioactivity of implant surfaces are reviewed. In addition, macro-scale methods (e.g., 3D printing (3DP) and laser surface texturing (LST)), micro-scale (e.g., grit-blasting, acid-etching, and Sand-blasted, Large-grit, and Acid-etching (SLA)) and nano-scale methods (e.g., plasma-spraying and anodization) are also discussed, and these surfaces are known to have favorable properties in clinical applications. Functionalized coatings with organic and non-organic loadings suggest good prospects for the future of modern biotechnology. Nevertheless, because of high cost and low clinical validation, these partial coatings have not been commercially available so far. A large number of in vitro and in vivo investigations are necessary in order to obtain in-depth exploration about the efficiency of functional implant surfaces. The prospective titanium implants should possess the optimum chemistry, bionic characteristics, and standardized modern topographies to achieve rapid osseointegration.