Surface Topography of Dental Implants

Surface treatment of titanium implants has been a new frontier in clinical dentistry. Usually it is based on additive and subtractive techniques that modify the surface topography of implants. It alters the roughness/smoothness of the implant surface which becomes more favourable to achieve osseointegration. This modified surface exhibits varied biological responses when the implant is placed in the oral cavity. This article reviews the principles behind treating the surface of titanium, the numerous methods employed for treating the surface and the cellular response elicited. A complete electronic search and hand search has been conducted for the purpose.