About AQB

Hydrothermal treatment of titanium surface

The requirements for dental implants are not only hard tissue connectivity, which facilitates bone formation, but also soft tissue affinity, which is considered important because of the contact with the gingiva.
AQB implants have not only hard tissue connectivity, but also soft tissue affinity, in which the presence of calcium and phosphorus in the implant surface layer provides a good bonding condition with the gingiva
, and sufficient sealing can be achieved in a short period of time.
The presence of calcium and phosphorus in the implant surface layer ensures a good bond with the gingiva.
Ca dissolves in vivo and enhances adhesion to tissues.

Since Ca is in the oxide layer, it also enhances the adhesion to the base material, pure titanium, when HA coating is applied.

●Hydrothermal treatment
Hydrothermal treatment forms a phosphorus/calcium layer on the titanium oxide surface, and the titanium surface and gingiva adhere and bond at an early stage (sealing property).

Shortens healing time and reduces the risk of bacterial infection of the surgical site!

Phosphorus and calcium layers on titanium surface

What is Hydrothermal Treatment?

Since AQB implants are hydrothermally treated, calcium and phosphorus are present on the implant surface. Therefore, sealing with the gingiva is excellent.

1. before treatment

Generally, the titanium surface is covered with a very thin oxide film (4 nm).

2. hydrothermal treatment

AQB implants are immersed in a solution containing calcium and phosphate ions. Hydrothermal treatment causes oxidation of titanium, and at the same time, calcium and phosphate ions penetrate and diffuse onto the titanium surface.

3. after treatment

Hydrothermal treatment increases the thickness of the titanium dioxide layer, and at the same time, phosphorus and calcium ions that affect affinity are incorporated into the oxide film.

●The thickness of the titanium dioxide layer increases (4 nm to 8 nm) by hydrothermal treatment.
●The closer to the surface, the higher the ratio of calcium and phosphorus present, the better the affinity with the gingiva.

experimental data

Verify sealing of the abutment with cultured cells

The abutment of the AQB implant has good adhesion (sealing) to the gingival tissue, reducing the risk of bacterial infection.

The abutment of the AQB implant is made of pure titanium, mirror-finished, and then hydrothermally treated.
Therefore, we compared the sealing performance of the AQB implant abutment with that of a control (target) that had only a mirror finish and was not hydrothermally treated, using a cultured cell system.

experimental procedure

In the experiment, 10-mm plates of titanium were immersed in culture medium, and cultured cells (1 × 105) were dispersed uniformly on the plates. After 2, 4, and 6 hours of static incubation, the cells that adhered on each plate were washed and counted by the neutral red uptake method.
Normal human skin fibroblasts (NB1RGB cells, RIKEN Gene Bank) were used as cultured cells as an alternative to gingival fibroblasts.

Results and Discussion
■Figure 1 Change in number of adherent cells over time
■Figure 2 Change in adherent cell rate (100% of target)

Seeded cells in the surface-treated group (AQB) grew and settled faster than those in the untreated control group (Figure 1).
The cell adhesion ratio was higher for shorter incubation times, with values about 10-fold and 2-fold higher after 2 hours and 4 hours, respectively, and a slight difference after 6 hours (Figure 2).
These results suggest that the AQB implant abutment material has excellent initial adhesion of fibroblasts.