Laser micro-grooved, Arginine-Glycine-Apspartic acid (RGD) coated dental implants, a 5 years radiographic follow-up.

OBJECTIVES This work has utilized laser direct writing to produce 10 microns wide uniform grooves on the surface of custom made titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) dental implants, and the tri-peptide RGD coating to produce a micromechanical and a chemical union with the tissues around the implant crest module and minimize crestal bone loss. The aim of this study was to follow these implants radiographically after five years of service under a mandibular overdenture. METHODOLOGY Standardized digital periapical radiographs and the computer software "Image J" were used to evaluate the bone density profile and vertical bone loss along the mesial and distal sides of the implants used in this study. RESULTS The results of this study demonstrated less vertical bone loss and higher bone density profiles next to the laser microgrooved implants coated with the RGD than those only having the laser micro-grooves. CONCLUSION The RGD coating has improved the bone density profile and reduced the vertical bone loss around the studied dental implants. However, further studies are needed to compare the effects of the laser micro-grooves versus other uniform or non uniform surface features; also, the RGD coating should be compared to other biomimetic surface coating materials.