Comparative Analysis of Osteoblastic Responses to Titanium and Alumina-Toughened Zirconia Implants: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Introduction: Osteoblastic responses play a crucial role in the success of oral implants. Enhanced proliferation of osteoblast cells is associated with reduced cell mortality and an increase in bone regeneration. This study aims to evaluate the osteoblastic responses following oral implantation. Materials and Methods: Osteoblast stem cells were harvested and subsequently cultivated using cell culture techniques. The osteoblastic phenotype of the extracted cells was confirmed by examining the extracellular matrix. Cell morphogenesis on functionalized biomaterial surfaces was assessed through indirect immunofluorescence staining. The cellular response was investigated in the presence of two types of implant materials: titanium (Ti) and alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ). Cell viability and apoptosis were quantitatively assessed using MTT assays and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: The survival of osteoblastic lineage cells was moderately reduced post-implantation. Viability in the Ti implant group remained at approximately 86%, while in the ATZ group, it was observed at 75%, which is considered acceptable. Moreover, there was a significant disparity in cell survival between the two implant groups (p < 0.05). Analysis of apoptosis levels at various concentrations revealed that the rate of apoptosis was 3.6% in the control group and 18.5% in the ATZ group, indicating that apoptosis or programmed cell death in the ATZ-treated group had increased nearly four-fold (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a reduction in osteoblastic cell line survival following implant treatment, with titanium implants exhibiting superior performance in terms of cell survival. However, it was also noted that the incidence of apoptosis in osteoblast cells was significantly higher in the presence of zirconium-based implants.