Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dental implants face challenges such as bacterial infiltration and peri-implantitis, emphasizing the need for a robust mucosal seal to ensure long-term success. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of polishing and glazing zirconia on the adhesion and survival of human gingival fibroblasts, which are critical for establishing this protective barrier. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this in vitro experimental study, 18 zirconia discs (2.5 mm thickness) were prepared, sintered, and divided into three groups: polishing, glaze, and simple. The polishing group underwent sequential polishing, whereas the glaze group was coated with glaze paste and heated in a vacuum oven; the simple group remained unaltered. Cell survival was assessed using direct and indirect 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, and cell adhesion was analyzed through fluorescence microscopy and quantitative fluorometry. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, employing the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality and one-way ANOVA (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Cell adhesion was significantly greater in the polished group compared to the simple group (P = 0.001) and the glazed group (P = 0.002). Cell survival did not significantly differ between the polished and plain groups (P = 0.111). However, the glazed group showed significantly higher cell survival compared to both the simple (P < 0.001) and polished groups (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it can be concluded that polished zirconia surfaces promote greater gingival fibroblast adhesion. However, fibroblast cell viability was higher on glazed zirconia discs. These findings underscore the importance of zirconia surface treatments in improving gingival integration.