An In Vitro Study to Assess the Hydrophilic of Dental Implant Surfaces

Abstract

Introduction: Dental implant manufacturers continuously modify implant surface characteristics to achieve improved osseointegration. Many companies claim that their implant surfaces are hydrophilic, which may enhance bone–implant integration. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the wettability of titanium dental implant surfaces using contact angle measurements, given the importance of surface properties in promoting osseointegration and implant success. Materials and Methods: This study evaluated surface-treated titanium dental implants to assess their hydrophilicity using a wettability (contact angle) test. A total of 36 measurements were performed on samples obtained from 18 implants. Results: The wettability test results showed that all measured contact angles were below 90° (range: 76.2°–89°), with a mean value of 82.71° ± 3.36, indicating varying degrees of hydrophilic surfaces. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the data were normally distributed (p = 0.200) and that the mean contact angle was significantly lower than the 90° threshold (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results confirm that the applied surface treatments improved surface wettability, which enhances protein adsorption and cellular adhesion, thereby supporting successful osseointegration of the evaluated SLA surface-treated dental implants. These findings highlight the clinical relevance of this study in selecting appropriate dental implant systems.