Surface treatment for an implant surface

1. A method of forming an implant to be implanted into living bone, the method comprising the acts of:

roughening at least a portion of the implant surface to produce a microscale roughened surface; and

immersing the microscale roughened surface into a solution including potassium hydroxide for about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes to produce a nanoscale roughened surface including a web-like structure superimposed on the microscale roughened surface, the solution having a concentration of about 12-32% w/w potassium hydroxide and a temperature of about 30° C. to about 100° C., the web-like structure being for contacting living bone.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is made of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium or alloys thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is a dental implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is made of titanium and the act of roughening the implant surface comprises:

removing a native oxide layer from the implant surface; and

grit blasting the implant surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is made of titanium and the act of roughening the implant surface comprises:

removing a native oxide layer from the implant surface; and

acid etching the implant surface.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises acid etching the implant surface with a solution including sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises:

grit blasting the surface to produce a first set of irregularities having peak-to-valley heights greater than about 10 microns; and

acid etching the surface to superimpose a second set of irregularities on the first set of irregularities, the second set of irregularities having peak-to-valley heights less than about 10 microns.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the acts of:

rinsing the nanoscale roughened surface in deionized water;

drying the nanoscale roughened surface.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the act of depositing discrete nanoparticles on the nanoscale roughened surface.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potassium hydroxide has a molar concentration of about 5.9M.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing at least one salt on the implant surface.

12. A method of forming an implant to be implanted into living bone, the method comprising the acts of:

removing a native oxide layer from at least a portion of the implant surface;

roughening at least the portion of the implant surface to produce a microscale roughened surface;

rinsing the microscale roughened surface in deionized water;

immersing the microscale roughened surface into a solution including potassium hydroxide for about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes to produce a nanoscale roughened surface including a web-like structure superimposed on the microscale roughened surface, the potassium hydroxide having a concentration of about 12-32% w/w and a temperature of about 30° C. to about 100° C., the web-like structure being for contacting living bone;

and

rinsing the nanoscale roughened surface in deionized water.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises grit blasting the implant surface.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises acid etching the implant surface with a solution including sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the implant is made of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium or alloys thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the implant is a dental implant.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the act of depositing discrete nanoparticles on the nanoscale roughened surface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the discrete nanoparticles are deposited using a solution including a 2-methoxyethanol solvent.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises acid etching the implant surface with a solution including sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the potassium hydroxide has a molar concentration of about 5.9M.

21. A method of forming an implant to be implanted into living bone, the method comprising the acts of:

grit blasting the implant surface to create a first set of irregularities having peak-to-valley distances greater than about 10 microns;

acid etching the implant surface to create a second set of irregularities having peak-to-valley distances of less than ten microns with peak-to-peak distances of about 1 micron to about 3 microns;

immersing the implant surface into a solution including potassium hydroxide for about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes to produce a nanoscale roughened surface including a web-like structure superimposed on the first and second sets of irregularities, the potassium hydroxide solution having a concentration of about 12-32% w/w and a temperature of about 30° C. to about 100° C., the web-like structure being for contacting living bone;

depositing hydroxyapatite nanocrystals on the implant surface; and

applying a salt to the implant surface.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the potassium hydroxide has a molar concentration of about 5.9M.