Biocompatibility and Osseointegration of Titanium Implants with a Silver-Doped Polysiloxane Coating: An In Vivo Pig Model.

PURPOSE

To test the antimicrobial properties, surface topography, reaction of surrounding tissue (biocompatibility), and osseointegration of ultrathin implant surfaces containing polysiloxane and nanoscaled silver particles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Implants with polysiloxane coating and nanoscaled silver particles (Ag/SiOC; HyProtect, Bio-Gate) were compared with implants with polysiloxane coating alone and with noncoated (grit-blasted and acid-etched) implants. A total of 72 implants were inserted into the calvaria of eight domestic pigs (nine implants each, three of each type). After 3 months, histologic sections were evaluated for inflammatory cell infiltration and bone implant contact.

RESULTS

Roughness parameters did not differ between all three implant types. The Ag/SiOC coating exhibited a good antimicrobial effect in vitro and no sign of inflammatory cell infiltration in vivo. The noncoated implants demonstrated 10.85% and 14.48% more bone contact than the polysiloxane-coated implants (P = .003) and the Ag/SiOC‑coated implants (P ≤ .001), respectively. Osseointegration was not significantly different between the Ag/SiOC‑coated and polysiloxane-coated implants (P = .72).

CONCLUSION

The osseointegration capability of the Ag/SiOC-coated implants was equal to that of the polysiloxane-coated implants but less than that of the grit-blasted and acid-etched implants. Because of the biocompatibility of the polysiloxane coating, further studies should be conducted in load-bearing models and in the oral cavity to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the embedded silver clusters.