The Effect of Titanium Surface Modifications on Dental Implant Osseointegration

The use of titanium dental implants has consistently changed the way of rehabilitating patients in modern dentistry and can count on high long-term survival and success rates. With respect to its introduction in the late 1960s, clinical indications for implant therapy have been significantly extended and optimal results have been achieved, even in clinical conditions formerly considered as unfavourable. Such evolution owes a lot to the significant progress made in the field of titanium surfaces. The topographical and chemical modification of traditional titanium surfaces has led to a real epochal shift in implant dentistry. Depending on the type and characteristics of the surface treatment applied, a wide range of implants has been produced, which have contributed to the success but also increased the risk of confusion in implant selection criteria for the clinician. This chapter, which provides an updated analysis of the relevant literature, the characteristics of modern implant surfaces, the biological principles underlying their role in promoting osseointegration and the scientific evidence about their clinical use are analyzed and presented.