Objectives
The present investigation utilized a novel oxygen plasma immersion ion implantation (O‐PIII) treatment to create a dense and thin oxide layer on a titanium (Ti) surface for dental implant application.
Materials and methods
This study evaluated the behavior of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on O‐PIII‐treated Ti. The O‐PIII treatments were performed using different oxygen ion doses (TL: 1 × 1016; TM: 4 × 1016; TH: 1 × 1017 ions/cm2).
Results
Analysis using an X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and high resolution X‐ray diffractometer (HR‐XRD) indicated that the O‐PIII‐treated specimen TM had the highest proportion of rutile phase TiO2 component. The O‐PIII‐treated specimen TM had the greatest protein adsorption capability of the test Ti surfaces using XPS analysis and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay. Immunofluorescent staining revealed that hMSCs had the best cell adhesion on the O‐PIII‐treated specimen TM, whereas green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐labeled hMSCs experienced the fastest cell migration based on a wound healing assay. Other assays, including MTT assay, Alizarin red S staining and Western blot analysis, demonstrated that the adhered hMSCs exhibited the greatest cell proliferation, mineralization, and differentiation capabilities on the TM specimen.
Conclusions
Oxidated Ti (primarily rutile TiO2) was produced using a facile and rapid O‐PIII treatment procedure, which enhances the biocompatibility of the Ti surface with potential implications for further dental implant application.