Nanosurfaces modulate the mechanism of peri-implant endosseous healing by regulating neovascular morphogenesis

Nanosurfaces have improved clinical osseointegration by increasing bone/implant contact. Neovascularization is considered an essential prerequisite to osteogenesis, but no previous reports to our knowledge have examined the effect of surface topography on the spatio-temporal pattern of neovascularization during peri-implant healing. We have developed a cranial window model to study peri-implant healing intravitally over clinically relevant time scales as a function of implant topography. Quantitative intravital confocal imaging reveals that changing the topography (but not chemical composition) of an implant profoundly affects the pattern of peri-implant neovascularization. New vessels develop proximal to the implant and the vascular network matures sooner in the presence of an implant nanosurface. Accelerated angiogenesis can lead to earlier osseointegration through the delivery of osteogenic precursors to, and direct formation of bone on, the implant surface. This study highlights a critical aspect of peri-implant healing, but also informs the biological rationale for the surface design of putative endosseous implant materials.