Effect of hafnium coating on osseointegration of titanium Implants A Split Mouth Animal Study

Abstract

AIM newlineThe aim of the study is to analyse the difference between hafnium coated newlinetitanium and uncoated titanium by evaluating the osseointegration ability of newlinehafnium metal and mechanism of which promotes better bone integration newlineMATERIALS AND METHODS newlineThe Study was conducted with a split mouth design on 16 Wistar Albino rats of newlineboth sexes, at the age of 6-7 months, weighing 252.5±74.4 g. Self tapping newlinetitanium osteosynthesis screws (4 mm x 2mm) (LeForte System Bone Screw®) newlinewere implanted in the mandible of rats . Group A [Pure Titanium screws, n =12] newlineand Group B [Hafnium coated screws, n= 12]. The implanted screws stability newlinewas checked and noted with a specially customised torque apparatus during newlineinsertion and removal of implant. The tissue sections were then processed for newlineHaematoxylin and Eosin and Masson s Trichrome for bone and connective tissue newlineexamination, after 4 and 8 weeks of placement. newline13 of 119 newlineRESULTS newlineHafnium coating appears to have offered similar biocompatibility (Aspartate newlinetransaminase (AST),Alanine aminotransferase(ALT) ,Creatine kinase(CK) enzyme newlineassay) , statistically significant improvement (Independent student t test, plt0.05 newline) in insertion torque ( 25.42 ± 3.965 )and removal torque( 29.17± 2.887) than newlinecommercially pure titanium with insertion torque (22.08 ±.575) and removal newlinetorque (25.42 ±2.575). newlineCONCLUSION newlineHafnium coating in the current study rat mandible showed promising newlineosseointegration. The toxicity levels of hafnium also substantiate the evidence of newlineits biocompatibility. Although this remains proven, no evidence is available on newlinehafnium and its behaviour in the intraoral invivo environment. Thus, further newlinestudies of hafnium coating under biological invivo conditions are needed in newlineorder to determine the suitability of this material, as a surface coating for newlinebiomedical applications. newline