Rodrigues, Danieli C.2018-08-152018-08-152017-082017-08August 201http://hdl.handle.net/10735.1/5954Titanium implant healing abutments (IHAs) are a temporary component of the dental implant system that have a vital role in soft tissue healing and shaping after implant body placement. A large amount of studies have been dedicated to investigating dental implant body performance, however little focus is placed on the IHA. Unlike the implant body, these devices are exposed to both the oral environment and acute inflammation post-implantation, producing conditions known to cause early implant failure. In addition, they are color coded with anodization during manufacturing, with no regard to how this surface modification affects the stability or efficacy of the device. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the behavior of IHA during implantation, and the response of soft tissue to these modified titanium oxide surfaces. Anodized IHAs were subjected to surface characterization pre-and post-implantation in patients to elucidate the effects of the oral environment on HA surfaces. Changes in surface crystallinity, morphology, elemental composition, and electrochemical properties were monitored to assess HA surface stability. To evaluate soft tissue response to these materials, titanium oxide samples were fabricated to have varied titanium oxide thickness and crystalline structure to mimic IHA surfaces. In vitro analysis was performed on these samples to assess the viability of HGF-1 cells in contact with the modified oxide surfaces.application/pdfenTitanium dioxideDental abutmentsDental implantsFibroblastsSurfaces (Technology)—AnalysisThesis2018-08-15