Assessment of Low-Dose rhBMP-2 and Vacuum Plasma Treatments on Titanium Implants for Osseointegration and Bone Regeneration.

This study evaluated the effects of low-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) coating in combination with vacuum plasma treatment on titanium implants, aiming to enhance osseointegration and bone regeneration while minimizing the adverse effects associated with high-dose rhBMP-2. In vitro analyses demonstrated that plasma treatment increased surface energy, promoting cell adhesion and proliferation. Additionally, it facilitated sustained rhBMP-2 release by enhancing protein binding to the implant surface. In vivo experiments using the four-beagle mandibular defect model were conducted with the following four groups: un-treated implants, rhBMP-2-coated implants, plasma-treated implants, and implants treated with both rhBMP-2 and plasma. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and medical CT analyses revealed a significantly greater volume of newly formed bone in the combined treatment group (p < 0.05). Histological evaluation further confirmed superior outcomes in the combined group, showing significantly higher bone-to-implant contact (BIC), new bone area (NBA), and inter-thread bone density (ITBD) compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that vacuum plasma treatment enhances the biological efficacy of low-dose rhBMP-2, representing a promising strategy to improve implant integration in compromised conditions. Further studies are warranted to determine the optimal clinical dosage.