Suppression of fluoride-induced corrosion of titanium by albumin in oral modified environment.

Although fluoride induces corrosion in titanium in an oral environment, the influence of protein on this corrosion remains to be clarified. The objective of this study was to investigate suppression of fluoride-induced corrosion of titanium where albumin was either present in a solution or where albumin was preadsorbed on titanium. Titanium dissolution in titanium specimens and surface characterization of each specimen were determined. Dissolution in a saline solution containing both albumin and fluoride was less than that in only fluoride-containing saline solution. The titanium specimen was covered in an albumin film. The morphology of the titanium in the fluoride-containing saline solution revealed jagged edges, whereas titanium immersed in the saline solution containing albumin and fluoride showed a round and plate-like morphology. When albumin-adsorbed titanium was immersed in a fluoride-containing solution, dissolution within 6 h was less than that in non albumin-adsorbed titanium. Dissolution increased with desorption of adsorbed-albumin from the titanium surface. The results suggest that albumin in a solution suppresses dissolution of titanium compounds, thus influencing their morphology. Albumin adsorbed on titanium reduces fluoride attack and suppresses dissolution.