Titanium and implantology: a review in dentistry

Abstract

Implant dentistry has become a popular restorative option in clinical practice. Titanium and titanium alloys (TTA) are the gold standard for endo-osseus dental implants production, thanks to their biocompatibility, resistance to corrosion and mechanical properties. The characteristics of the TTA implant surface seem to be particularly relevant in the early phase of osseointegration. Furthermore, the microstructure of implant surface can largely influence the bone remodelling at the level of the bone-implant surface. Recently, research has stated on the long-term of both survival and success rates of osseointegrated implants and mainly on biomechanical aspects, such as load distribution and biochemical and histological processes at the bone-implant interface. This short review reports recent knowledge on chemical and mechanical properties, biological aspects, innovations in preventing peri-implantitis, describing clinical applications and recent improvements of TTA dental implants. In addition, it highlights current knowledge about a new implant coating that has been demonstrated to reduce the number of initially adhering bacteria and peri-implantitis.