Journal of Prosthodontics News
Anodization and Instrumentation on Titanium Abutment Surface Characteristics and Biofilm Formation
Now online in the Journal of Prosthodontics, an open access article co-authored by ACP members Weiqing Liu, DDS, PhD, Chao-Chieh Yang, DDS, MSD, and Wei-Shao Lin, DDS, PhD, MBA. This article is based on a research project that was supported by the ACP Education Foundation (ACPEF) Research Fellowship Grant (2022) and Dr. Liu was awarded 2nd place in the 2024 John J. Sharry Prosthodontic Research Competition.
This study assessed the impact of anodization and instrumentation on titanium abutment surface characteristics (surface roughness and wettability) and biofilm formation (viability and mass).
Titanium discs were obtained from pre-milled abutment blanks made of titanium-6aluminum-7niobium alloy. Polished samples were divided into three groups: un-anodized, gold-anodized, and pink-anodized. Instrumentation methods included no-instrumentation, air polishing, and titanium scaling treatment.
Surface roughness was measured using an optical profilometer, and wettability was determined by measuring the contact angles using the sessile drop method with an optical tensiometer. Biofilm formation by Streptococcus sanguinis was evaluated based on the biofilm viability and mass. The biofilm viability was evaluated through colony-forming unit counting (CFU/mL), and biofilm mass was assessed with crystal violet staining.
The results showed that gold- and pink-anodized titanium surfaces were more hydrophilic, leading to less biofilm formation than un-anodized ones. Biofilm formation was inhibited by air polishing while promoted by titanium scaling. Gold anodization combined with air polishing had the least biofilm formation and can be considered the preferred abutment anodization/instrumentation combination.
Liu W, Gregory RL, Yang CC, Hamada Y, Lin W-S. The effects of anodization and instrumentation on titanium abutment surface characteristics and biofilm formation. J Prosthodont. 2025; 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopr.14009
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