Nanotechnology in implants: The future is small

The success of dental implants depends majorly on osseointegration. Recently, nanotechnology has emerged as a new science exploiting specific phenomena and direct manipulation of materials on the nanoscale. Nanotechnologies are increasingly used for surface modifications of dental implants as surfaces properties such as chemistry and roughness play a determinant role in achieving and maintaining their long-term stability in bone tissue. Direct bone-to-implant contact is desired for a biomechanical anchoring of implants to bone rather than fibrous tissue encapsulation New Coating Technologies have also been developed for applying hydroxyapatite and related calcium phosphates, the mineral of bone, onto the surface of implants. Future nanometer-controlled surfaces may ultimately direct the nature of peri-implant tissues and improve their clinical success rate.