Hydroxyapatite coating techniques for Titanium Dental Implants — an overview

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys are the most commonly used materials for dental implants and hydroxyapatite is the most common bioactive material coated on titanium dental implants. Hydroxyapatite is from the ceramic class of biomaterials which has chemical and structural similarity with the biological apatite which forms the major inorganic portion of bone and tooth. It is not only bioactive, but also osteoconductive and non-toxic. The most interesting property of hydroxyapatite is its ability to interact with living bone tissue, forming strong bonds with the bone. Since the introduction of dental implants by Branemark in 1981, hydroxyapatite has gained attention as a preferred bioactive coating material for titanium dental implants and is still a hot topic of discussion. So, in this article an attempt has been made to give an overview of present techniques of hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium dental implants, including their advantages, disadvantages and limitations.