Bone Augmentation in a Titanium Cap with a Porous Surface Modified by Microarc Oxidation

Purpose: To compare bone augmentation on pure titanium-machined surfaces and surfaces that have been modified by microarc oxidation (MAO) using titanium caps. Materials and Methods: Twenty caps were manufactured from rods of commercially pure titanium. The control group (CG) consisted of 10 titanium caps with machined inner walls. The test group (TG) consisted of 10 titanium caps that were modified by MAO in an electrolyte solution containing calcium phosphate ions. The two types of titanium caps were fixed on the calvaria of 10 New Zealand rabbits. Each rabbit received two different caps. Although each cap was unfilled, the marrow and blood from the wound of the rabbit skulls could penetrate into the caps. After 4 weeks, the rabbits were sacrificed, and the skulls were removed for observation. The zenith of new bone was measured directly after the caps were removed from the skulls; subsequently, the bone volume was calculated by microcomputed tomography. Results: Little bone augmentation could be observed in the CG caps, and the new bone height of the CG group was inconspicuous. In contrast, the new bone extended along the inner walls of the TG caps. The mean height of new bone of the TG group was 2.3 ± 0.28 mm. The mean volume of new bone in the TG group was 18.63 ± 3.80 mm3. Conclusions: New bone formation in a titanium cap surface modified by MAO was greater than that of a nonmodified cap. A titanium cap allowed new bone formation on the MAO surface to be observed and is a promising device for bone augmentation. Additionally, this finding suggests that observation through a titanium cap is a feasible method for biomaterial testing in hard tissue.