STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: When an implant is fixed, a fixture comes into contact with a tissue fluid. Adhesion of a tissue fluid to a surface of implant is various case by case. PURPOSE: The ultimate goal of this work is to analyze a correlation between a surface roughness and wettability of implant specimens. A measurement for wettability is performed considering 4 types of specimen implant with surface treatments different from each other to investigate the change of wettability with the elapse of time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Firstly, 20 specimens of titanium were prepared. The specimen were made of a commercial Titanium Grade IV with the diameter of 10 mm and the thickness of 1 mm. According to the method of surface treatment, the specimens were classified into 4 groups of 5 specimens per group. Group A: Machined Surface Group B: Anodized surface Group C: RBM (HA blasting) surface Group D: CMP (calcium methaphosphate) coating surface. Surface roughness of specimen was measured using SV-3000S4 (Mituyoto, Japan). The measurement was based on the standard of JIS1994. Sessile drop method was used to measure the wettability, which measures contact angle between implant disc and saline with the time interval of 5, 10, and 15 seconds. SPSS 11.0 was used to analyze the collected data. In order to analyze the difference of wettability and surface roughness according to implant surface treatment method. The statistical significance was tested with the confidence level of 95 percent. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation of surface roughness and wettability. RESULTS: The difference of surface roughness was statistically significant in the order of Group C (1.69 +/- 0.26), Group D (1.58 +/- 0.16), Group B (0.78 +/- 0.14) Group A (0.18 +/- 0.05). The wettability has also a statistically significant difference, which was in the order of group B (17.70 +/- 2.66), Group C (27.86 +/- 4.52), Group D (66.28 +/- 3.70) Group A (70.52 +/- 8.00). There was no difference in wettability with the passage of time. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The surface roughness was high in the order of RBM, CMP, Anodized, Machined group (P < .05). 2. The wettability was high in the order of Anodized, RBM, CMP, Machined group (P < .05). 3. There was no statistical significance in the correlation of surface roughness and wettability.
Surface Properties ; Titanium ; Wettability

The surface properties of implant are responsible to provide mechanical stability by creating an intimate bond between the bone and implant; hence, play a major role on osseointegration process. The current study was aimed to measure surface characteristics of titanium modified by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The results of this study revealed an optimum density of laser energy (140 Jcm⁻²), at which improvement of osteointegration process was seen. Significant differences were found between arithmetical mean height (Ra), root mean square deviation (Rq) and texture orientation, all were lower for 140 Jcm⁻² samples compared to untreated one. Also it was identified that the surface segments were more uniformly distributed with a more Gaussian distribution for treated samples at 140 Jcm⁻². The distribution of texture orientation at high laser density (250 and 300 Jcm⁻²) were approximately similar to untreated sample. The skewness index that indicates how peaks and valleys are distributed throughout the surface showed a positive value for laser treated samples, compared to untreated one. The surface characterization revealed that Kurtosis index, which tells us how high or flat the surface profile is, for treated sample at 140 Jcm⁻² was marginally close to 3 indicating flat peaks and valleys in the surface profile.
Osseointegration* ; Surface Properties ; Titanium*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of accelerated aging on surface properties of glazed CAD/CAM resin blocks using a 2D surface profilometer and a 3D non-contact optical profilometer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three types of CAD/CAM resin restorative materials, LAVA Ultimate (3M ESPE, St Paul, MN, USA), VITA Enamic (Vita Zahnfabrik H. Rauter, Bad Säckingen, Germany), and Cerasmart (GC Corparation, Tokyo, Japan) were used for this study. CAD/CAM blocks were cut in 3-mm thickness slabs and divided into three groups; Group 1: control group (specimens polished with 600 grit SCI paper); Group 2: specimens sandblasted, silanized, and glazed with Optiglaze Color (GC); Group 3: glazed specimens subjected to 5000 thermocycles (n=15). The surface roughness (Ra and Rz) was evaluated using a profilometer and a 3D scanning instrument. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test (P < .05). RESULTS: LAVA, VITA, and Cerasmart exhibited statistically similar Ra and Rz values for each group (P>.05). For VITA and Cerasmart, the specimens in Group 1 exhibited significantly higher Ra values than Group 2 (P < .05). Group 1 (0.502 Ra), Group 2 (0.384 Ra), and Group 3 (0.431 Ra) exhibited statistically similar Ra values for LAVA (P=.062). After 5000 thermocycles, surface roughness values did not change significantly for glazed LAVA, VITA, and Cerasmart (P>.05). CONCLUSION: Glaze material Optiglaze Color makes CAD/CAM resin surfaces smooth and glazed CAD/CAM surfaces seem resistant to deterioration under 5000 thermocycles.
Aging ; Surface Properties

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare Ni-Cr alloy property of gas-oxygen torch soldering and infrared welding using optical microscope and Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ni-Cr alloys were casted for specimens. Specimens had 3.0 mm diameter, 30.0 mm length and were divided into two groups. Each group had 4 specimens. One group was for gas-oxygen torch soldering and the other was infrared welding. Specimens were cut with low-speed disc and soldered each other with gas-oxygen torch and infrared machine. After soldering and polishing, specimens were observed at 3 points (soldering point, 5 mm distance point, 10 mm distance point) with optical microscope and analyzed 3 points (soldering point, 5 mm distance point, 10 mm distance point with EPMA. RESULTS: The results of this study were as follows: 1. The observation of gas-oxygen torch soldering at 10 mm distance point under the optical microscope was not founded any specific surface properties, but some crack lines were observed at 5 mm distance and soldering point. 2. There were no crack lines were founded at the observation of infrared welding at 10 mm distance and 5 mm distance points under the optical microscope. However, at the 5 mm distance, the surface was not smooth enough compared with at 10 mm distance point. Some crack lines were observed at the welding point as well. 3. In the EPMA analysis of the gas-oxygen torch soldering, the component of Ni was increased by 4.5%, Cr was increased by 7.5% than that of the Ni-Cr alloy at the 10.0 mm distance. At the 5 mm distance, the component of Ni was decreased by 6.1%, Mo was increased by 9.0% than that of the Ni-Cr alloy but Cr was equally shown at the 5.0 mm distance. Only Ni was shown at the soldering point. 4. In the EPMA analysis of the infrared welding, the component of Ni was increased by 9.1%, Cr was increased by 0.4% than that of the Ni-Cr alloy but Al was equal at the 10.0 mm distance. At the 5 mm distance, the component of Ni was increased by 4.7%, Cr was increased by 4.7% and Al was increased by 0.1% than that of the Ni-Cr alloy. At the welding point, the component of Ni was increased by 8.8%, Cr was increased by 8.2% than that of the Ni-Cr alloy. CONCLUSION: From these results, at the 5 mm distance from the soldering point, the surface of the infrared welding was more smoother than that of the gas-oxygen torch soldering. On the EPMA analysis, the component of the specimens with infrared welding was more similar than that of the gas-oxygen torch soldering compared with the component of the Ni-Cr alloy.
Alloys ; Electrons ; Surface Properties ; Welding

Bicuspid ; Mandible ; Surface Properties ; Swine

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of polishing and glazing on the color and spectral distribution of monolithic zirconia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five monolithic zirconia specimens (16.3 mm x 16.4 mm x 2.0 mm) were fabricated and divided into 5 groups according to the number of A2-coloring liquid applications (Group I to V). Each group was divided into 3 subgroups according to the method of surface treatments (n=3): N: no treatment; P: polishing; G: glazing. Color and spectral distribution of five different areas of each specimen were measured according to CIELAB color space in the reflectance mode relative to the standard illuminant D65 on a reflection spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD test, Pearson correlation and regression analysis (alpha=.05). RESULTS: There was a significant difference in CIE L* between Subgroup N and P, and in CIE b* between Subgroup P and G in each group. Spectral reflectance generally decreased in Subgroup P and G in comparison with Subgroup N. Color differences between Subgroup P and G were within the perceptibility threshold (DeltaE*ab< 3.7) in most groups. Highly significant correlation was found between CIE b*and each subgroups as the number of coloring liquid applications increased (R2>0.88, P<.001). CONCLUSION: A perceptible color difference can be detected after polishing of monolithic zirconia. Polishing decreases the lightness, and glazing also decreases the lightness, but increases the yellowness of monolithic zirconia.
Dental Polishing ; Light ; Surface Properties ; Zirconium

PURPOSE: The color of the ceramic restorations is affected by various factors such as brand, thickness of the layered the ceramic, condensation techniques, smoothness of surface, number of firings, firing temperature and thickness of dentin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the color change and surface roughness in dental porcelain with different thicknesses during repeated firings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Disc-shaped (N=21) metal-ceramic samples (IPS Classic; Ivoclar Vivadent; Shaar, Liechtenstein) with different thickness were exposed to repeated firings. Color measurement of the samples was made using a colorimeter and profilometer was used to determine surface roughness. ANOVA and Tukey tests with repeated measurements were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The total thickness of the ceramics which is less than 2 mm significantly have detrimental effect on the surface properties and color of porcelains during firings (P<.05). CONCLUSION: Repeated firings have effects on the color change and surface roughness of the dental ceramics and should be avoided.
Ceramics* ; Dental Porcelain ; Dentin ; Fires* ; Surface Properties

OBJECTIVETo compare the synthetic ability of osteoblasts on the surface of different nano-granule titanium films and investigate the correlation between nanophase titanium films and cellular biocompatibility.

METHODSFour different nano-granule titanium films were produced by direct current magnetron sputtering, at ambient, 100 degrees C, 250 degrees C, 380 degrees C substrate temperature, respectively. Rat osteoblasts were seeded on the surface of four treated groups of titanium film samples and non-treated Ti sample(control group). The production of osteocalcin (OC) in all five groups were detected by using double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSThe production of OC increased gradually from day 7 to day 14 in all groups. In the control group, it showed significant differences with other five groups on day 7. On day 14, the production of OC in 100 degrees C group was the highest, and it showed significant differences with 380 degrees C, control group and blank group. In 250 degrees C group, the production of OC also showed significant differences with 380 degrees C, control group and blank group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTitanium with nano-modified surface had good biocompatibility and different nano-granule titanium films could affect the synthesis of osteoblasts.

OBJECTIVETo construct four different micro- and nano-phase titanium film models and investigate the characteristics of their surface micro-topography.

METHODSFour different titanium films were prepared on commercial titanium discs, by direct current magnetron sputtering, at ambient, 100, 250, 380 degrees C substrate temperature, respectively. Their surface topography and crystal sizes were investigated using atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The size of granule and surface roughness in different group was calculated and compared.

RESULTSAll samples were covered by a thin film consisting of dense round or ovaloid granules. The granules and crystals was growing as the substrate temperature increasing. The Ti substrate had greater effect on the surface topography of film compared with Si substrate. This kind of complex topography caused the surface roughness of Ti substrate group decreased as the granules growing.

CONCLUSIONIn our study, four different micro- and nano-phase titanium film models were constructed for our coming investigation of their topographical influence on biological reaction of proteins and cells. Basic data on surface features was obtained for next in vitro and in vivo experiment.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of different implant surface properties on the biological behavior of Schwann cells. METHODS: Schwann cells (SCs) were cultured on three types of implant surfaces including smooth polished (SMO), sand-blasted, large grit, acid-etched (SLA), and chemically-modified SLA (modSLA). At different time points, the morphology and adhesion of SCs on the implant surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscope. Cell proliferation activity was detected by MTT method. The expression levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Changes in the mRNA levels of NGF and BDNF were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: SCs adhered, stretched, and proliferated well on the three types of implant surfaces. On the 3rd, 5th, and 7th days, the OD values of the SMO group were higher than those of the SLA group and the modSLA group, and the difference was statistically significant ( CONCLUSIONS Different implant surface properties have different effects on the biological behavior of SCs. Proliferation of SCs is significantly promoted by smooth surface, while secretion and gene expression of neurotrophic factors are significantly promoted by modSLA surface at early stage.
Dental Implants ; Schwann Cells ; Surface Properties ; Titanium