Conclusion
These results demonstrated that the novel SZ surface with nanotopography promoted soft tissue integration, suggesting its promising application as a zirconia surface for the dental abutment.
Methods
Three groups of disc samples were prepared for in vitro study and the three groups of abutment samples were prepared for in vivo study. The surface topography, roughness, wettability and chemical composition of the samples were examined. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of the three groups of samples on protein adsorption and on the biological behavior of human gingival keratinocytes (HGKs) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Furthermore, we conducted an in vivo study in which the bilateral mandibular anterior teeth of rabbits were extracted and replaced with implants and corresponding abutments.
Results
The surface of SZ showed a unique nanotopography with nm range roughness and a greater ability to absorb protein. The promoted expression of adhesion molecules in both HGKs and HGFs was observed on the SZ surface compared to the surfaces of Ti and PCZ, while the cell viability and proliferation of HGKs and the number of HGFs adhesion were not significant among all groups. In vivo results showed that the SZ abutment formed strong biological sealing at the abutment-soft tissue interface and exhibited markedly more hemidesmosomes when observed with a transmission electron microscope.