Investigating the Influence of Titanium-Tantalum (Ti-Ta) Thin Film on Alveolar Bone Cell Response

Titanium alloy stands as the leading implantable material in dental applications, renowned for its favorable biocompatibility and exceptional mechanical properties. Surface modification has emerged as a pivotal strategy for enhancing material properties and eliciting desirable biological responses. In this study, a promising titanium-tantalum (Ti-Ta) coating was deposited on a Si (100) wafer using a magnetron sputtering technique. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) image revealed that the Ti-Ta surface provided Root Mean Square (RMS) roughness of 3.22 + 0.05 nm, representing a smooth surface. The proliferation of human alveolar bone (hAB) cells on the Ti-Ta surface increased significantly up to 4 times that of the control. The Ti-Ta surface demonstrated an early attachment of hAB cells within 6 hours. However, the accumulation of calcium by hAB cells was absent, as indicated by the lack of Alizarin Red S staining. Regarding the expression of marker genes (ALP, BMP2, and RUNX2), the upregulation of the marker was a notable enhancement during the early cell adhesion. Indeed, the application of the magnetron sputtering technique to create a Ti-Ta thin film appears promising as a surface modification process suitable for cell biocompatibility but not in mineralization. Further investigations and evaluations are warranted to fully assess its potential benefits and suitability in enhancing dental implant materials.