Fibroblasts Adhesion to Laser-Modified Titanium Surfaces—A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: Laser treatment has been recently introduced in many fields of implant dentistry. The systematic review tried to address the question: “How does laser modification of titanium surface influence fibroblast adhesion?”. Methods: An electronic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was performed. The following keywords were used: (laser) AND (fibroblast) AND (titanium) AND (implant OR disc) AND (proliferation OR adhesion). Initially, 136 studies were found. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. All studies chosen to be included in the review were considered to have a low risk of bias. Results: Studies included in the review varied with laser parameters or ways of observing fibroblast behavior. Studies showed that fibroblasts tend to take different shapes and create extensions on modified surfaces and that their metabolic activity is more intense. One study concentrated on laser application and showed that three-directional laser application is the most successful in terms of fibroblast adhesion. Studies which concentrated more on laser parameters showed that too low energy density (lower or equal to 0.75 J/cm2) does not influence fibroblast adhesion. Increasing the energy density over 0.75 J/cm2 causes better cell adhesion of fibroblasts to the laser-modified sample. One included study focused on increasing titanium surface wettability, which also positively influenced cell adhesion. Conclusion: The studies included in the review proved a positive effect of laser-modified titanium surfaces on fibroblast adhesion. However, the application of an appropriate laser energy dose is crucial.