RESUMO
It has been shown that a roughened implant surface results in a higher percentage of bone to implant contact (%BIC) than a machined one. A modified implant surface using a dual thermo-acid etching process (Osseotite) has been introduced and evaluated clinically, mechanically and histologically. The aim of the present study was the histological evaluation of the %BIC between the Osseotite or machined surfaces and the autogenous bone graft. Twenty-two custom-made split-type 10-mm-long implants having two opposing surfaces (Osseotite and machined) were placed between the cranial and caudal dorsal iliac spine at the iliac wing of two adult mongrel dogs. An artificial bone defect was created leaving a 2 mm empty space around the coronal 5 mm of the implants, while the apical 5 mm was stabilized in the existing basal bone. The defects around the implants were filled with particulate autogenous bone graft, covered by an Osseoquest membrane, and left to heal for 5 months. All inserted implants showed a complete integration in the bone tissue. It was found that the resulting %BIC at the Osseotite surface was significantly higher than at the machined one in both regenerated (46.44+/-15.81% vs. 28.59+/-12.04%) and basal bone areas (32.32+/-15.09% vs. 17.25+/-7.40%). The findings of this study imply that the use of autogenous bone graft resulted in significantly higher %BIC values in the regenerated area than in the basal bone area itself, for both implant surfaces.