Purpose: To evaluate whether a hydrophilic surface treatment compared with a hydrophobic implant surface can enhance osseointegration by analysis of calcium deposition, bone-to-implant contact (BIC), bone volume (BV), and upregulation of genes involved in bone formation.

Materials and methods: Sixty implants (n = 60) with a hydrophobic (SAE) or hydrophilic (SAE-HD) surface treatment were placed bilaterally in each femur of 3-month-old male mice (n = 30). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were utilized for quantifying the presence of calcium on the implant surface 7 days after implant placement. The specimens were analyzed after 14 and 21 days for BIC and BV by Nano CT scanning followed by histologic evaluation. Additionally, 1, 3, and 7 days postsurgery, femurs were harvested, implants were explanted, and gene expression (Sp7, Bsp, Sost, IL-1α, and IL-10) by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was studied. Moreover, implants were characterized for surface roughness area. Data were statistically analyzed with two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey test (P < .05).

Results: The amount of calcium on the surface was higher for SAE-HD after 7 days. Nano CT revealed significantly more BV in the SAE-HD than the SAE surface. The histologic assessment showed increased BIC in SAE-HD in comparison to SAE. SAEHD showed significantly increased levels of genes involved in bone formation.

Conclusion: Both surfaces were able to modulate bone responses toward osteoblast differentiation. SAE-HD presented a better response compared with SAE.