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Titanium-based implants are often utilized in oral implantology and craniofacial reconstructions. However, the biological inertness of machined titanium commonly results in unsatisfactory osseointegration. To improve the osseointegration properties, we modified the titanium implants with nanotubular/superhydrophilic surfaces through anodic oxidation and thermal hydrogenation and evaluated the effects of the machined surfaces (M), nanotubular surfaces (Nano), and hydrogenated nanotubes (H-Nano) on osteogenesis and osseointegration in vitro and in vivo. After incubation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the samples, we observed improved cell adhesion, alkaline phosphatase activity, osteogenesis-related gene expression, and extracellular matrix mineralization in the H-Nano group compared to the other groups. Subsequent in vivo studies indicated that H-Nano implants promoted rapid new bone regeneration and osseointegration at 4 weeks, which may be attributed to the active osteoblasts adhering to the nanotubular/superhydrophilic surfaces. Additionally, the Nano group displayed enhanced osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo at later stages, especially at 8 weeks. Therefore, we report that hydrogenated superhydrophilic nanotubes can significantly accelerate osteogenesis and osseointegration at an early stage, revealing the considerable potential of this implant modification for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soft tissue sealing at the transmucal portion of implants is vital for the long-term stability of implants. Hydrogenated titanium nanotubes (H2-TNTs) as implant surface treatments were proved to promote the adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and have broad usage as drug delivery systems. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the most abundant albumin in body fluid was crucial for cell adhesion and was demonstrated as a normal loading protein. As the first protein arriving on the surface of the implant, albumin plays an important role in initial adhesion of soft tissue cells, it is also a common carrier, transferring and loading different endogenous and exogenous substances, ions, drugs, and other small molecules. The aim of the present work was to investigate whether BSA-loaded H2-TNTs could promote the early adhesion of HGFs; H2-TNTs were obtained by hydrogenated anodized titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) in thermal treatment, and BSA was loaded in the nanotubes by vacuum drying; our results showed that the superhydrophilicity of H2-TNTs is conducive to the loading of BSA. In both hydrogenated titanium nanotubes and non-hydrogenated titanium nanotubes, a high rate of release was observed over the first hour, followed by a period of slow and sustained release; however, BSA-loading inhibits the early adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts, and H2-TNTs has the best promoting effect on cell adhesion. With the release of BSA after 4 h, the inhibitory effect of BSA on cell adhesion was weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]