Laser Surface Texturing and Electropolishing of CoCr and Ti6Al4V-ELI Alloys for Biomedical Applications.

The interplay between a prosthetic and tissue represents an important factor for the fixation of orthopedic implants. Laser texturing tests and electropolishing were performed on two materials used in the fabrication of medical devices, i.e., CoCr and Ti6Al4V-ELI alloys. The material surface was textured with a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser and its effect on the surface quality and material modification, under different combinations of laser power and marking speed, were investigated. Our results indicate that an increment of energy per unit length causes an incremental trend in surface roughness parameters. Additionally, phase transformation on the surface of both alloys was achieved. Chemical analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) shows the formation of (Co(Cr,Mo)) phase and the M23C6 precipitate on the CoCr surface; while quantitative analysis of the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results demonstrates the oxidation of the Ti alloy with the formation of Ti2O and Ti6O from the reduction of the α-Ti phase. The behaviors were both related with an increase of the energy per unit length. Control of the final surface roughness was achieved by an electropolishing post-treatment, minimizing the as-treated values. After polishing, a reduction of surface roughness parameters was obtained in a range between 3% and 44%, while no changes in chemical composition or present phases were observed.

CoCr-enriched medium modulates integrin-based downstream signaling and requires a set of inflammatory genes reprograming in vitro.

Significant health concerns have been raised by the high levels of Cr and Co ions into whole blood as resulted of corrosion process released from biomedical implants, but very little is known about their biological behavior in governing cell metabolism. Thus, we prompted to address this issue by exploring the effects of CoCr enriched medium on both fibroblast and preosteoblast (pre-Ob) cells. First, we showed there is a significant difference in Co and Cr releasing dependent on engineered surface, it being even more released in dual acid-etching treating surface (named w/DAE) than the machined surfaces (named wo/DAE). Thereafter, we showed CoCr affects pre-osteoblast and fibroblast metabolism by dynamically modulating integrin-based downstream signaling (FAK, Src, Rac1, and Cofilin). Specifically on this matter, we have shown there is dynamic ß1-integrin gene activation up 24 h in both preosteoblast and fibroblast. Our analysis showed also that both pre-Ob and fibroblast are important resource of proinflammatory cytokines when responding to CoCr enriched medium. In addition, survival-related signaling pathway was also affected interfering on survival and proliferating signal, mainly affecting CDK2, mapk-Erk and mapk-p38 phosphorylations, while AKT/PKB-related gene remained active. In addition, during cell adhesion PP2A (an important Ser/Thr phosphatase) was inactive in both cell lineages and it seems be a CoCr's molecular fingerprint, regulating specific metabolic pathways involved with cytoskeleton rearrangement. Altogether, our results showed for the first time CoCr affects cellular performance in vitro by modulating integrin activation-based downstream signaling and requiring a reprograming of inflammatory genes activations in vitro. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 839-849, 2018.

Efeito da soldagem híbrida (plasma + maçarico) na suavização da assinatura torque-ângulo em supraestruturas de COCR sobre minipilares de zircônia ­ parte 1 / Effect of hybrid soldering (plasma + gas torch) technique on suavization of torque-angle signatures at Co-Cr frameworks over zirconia mini-abutmets ­ part I

Objetivo: avaliar as desadaptações em supraestruturas de implantes e a curva de assinatura torque-ângulo dos parafusos protéticos nas condições monobloco e pós-soldagem. Material e métodos: uma base retangular de aço inox recebeu três implantes de hexágono externo (4,1 mm x 10 mm), onde foram parafusados minipilares de zircônia. Após o enceramento e inclusão, as supraestruturas foram fundidas em monobloco com uma liga de cobalto-cromo, e os cilindros foram numerados sequencialmente (1, 2 e 3). A leitura na interface supraestrutura/pilar foi realizada com um microscópio comparador (precisão de 1 µm), três vezes em cada cilindro. A tensão de torque nos parafusos foi medida com um torquímetro eletrônico odontológico (OsseoCare, Nobel Biocare). Depois, as supraestruturas foram seccionadas e soldadas a plasma (pontos de estabilização) e maçarico (preenchimento da área restante). Novamente, as desadaptações e assinaturas dos parafusos foram avaliadas pela mesma metodologia. Resultados: as médias de desadaptações foram maiores nas supraestruturas em monobloco (C1=3,5 µm; C2=0 µm; C3=31,2 µm) do que nas supraestruturas pós-soldagem (C1=3,0 µm; C2=2,9 µm; C3=18,1 µm). Dentro de cada condição, o teste de Kruskal-Wallis mostrou diferença estatisticamente significativa apenas para o cilindro 3 (monobloco: p < 0,00003 / pós-soldagem: p=0,008) em relação aos cilindros 1 e 2. Uma diferença estatisticamente significante foi encontrada apenas no C3, comparando as condições monobloco e pós-soldagem (teste t pareado, p=0,03). A assinatura dos parafusos se mostrou melhor na condição pós-soldagem. Conclusão: a fundição monobloco gera instabilidade na assinatura dos parafusos. A desadaptação nos parafusos protéticos de supraestruturas sobre minipilares de zircônia melhora após secção e soldagem híbrida.

Objective: to evaluate the misfi t at implant frameworks and the torque-angle signature curves at the prosthetic screws at one-piece and after soldering conditions. Material and methods: a stainless steel rectangular base received 3 external hex implants (4.1 x 10 mm) where zirconia mini-abutments were fastened. After wax-up and investing, the frameworks were one-piece cast with a Co-Cr alloy, and the prosthetic cylinders sequentially identified (1, 2, and 3). The misfit at the framework/abutment interface was measured with a microscope (reading error 1 µm) 3 times for each cylinder. The screw tension was investigated with an electronic torqued device (Osseocare, Nobel Biocare). After, the frameworks were sectioned and soldered with plasma (stabilization points) and gas torch (filling of the remaining areas). Again, the misfit and torque-angle signatures were measured as described. Results: mean misfit values were greater for one-piece castings (C1=3.5 µm; C2=0 µm; C3=31.2 µm) than after soldering (C1=3.0 µm; C2=2.9 µm; C3=18.1 µm). Within each condition, the Kruskal-Wallis test demonstrated a statistically significant difference only for C3 (one-piece casting: p < 0.00003 / after soldering: p=0.008) compared to C1 and C2. Between each condition, a significant difference was seen only for C3 in the one-piece and after soldering conditions (paired t test, p=0.03). The torque-angle signatures demonstrated a better behavior after soldering. Conclusion: one-piece castings provide instability at torque-angle signatures. Thus, the seating of the prosthetic abutments over the zirconia mini-abutments improves after sectioning and hybrid soldering.