Pre-treatment of titanium implants with fluoride improves their retention in bone

Fluoride pre-treatment of titanium improved the bone response to this material in the present study. Fluoride pre-treated titanium implants had a four times increased retention in rabbits ulna after four and eight weeks healing periods as measured by a push out technique. Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of the implants revealed that the F-treated implants were partly covered with bone after the push out procedure indicating that an internal fracture had occurred in the bone rather than between the bone and the implant. This was not observed in the titanium control group. It is suggested that the presence of a fluoride coat on the surface of titanium implants stimulates the bone response leading to a connection between titanium and phosphate from tissue fluids. Free fluoride ions will catalyse this reaction and induce the formation of fluoridated hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite in the surrounding bone.