Titanium nano-scale etching on 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 containing hydrogen peroxide and a basic solution to produce a nanoscale roughened surface consisting of nanopitting superimposed on the microscale roughened surface.

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

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

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the portion of the implant surface is a threaded bottom portion for facilitating bonding with bone.

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

6. 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 resulting surface.

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

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the basic solution is a sodium hydroxide solution.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the basic solution is a potassium hydroxide solution.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the potassium hydroxide solution has a concentration of about 3-5% w/w and the hydrogen peroxide has a concentration of about 13-22% w/w.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the potassium hydroxide solution has a concentration of about 1-6% w/w and the hydrogen peroxide has a concentration of about 1-6% w/w.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the basic solution has a pH between about 7to about 14.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanopitting is in the 1-100 nanometer range.

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

rinsing the nanoscale roughened surface in deionized water;

passivating the nanoscale roughened surface with nitric acid;

re-rinsing the nanoscale roughened surface in deionized water; and

drying the nanoscale roughened surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the act of sterilizing the implant.

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

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the act of applying a sodium lactate coating on the nanoscale roughened surface.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface produces irregularities with peak-to-valley heights of less than about 10 microns and peak-to-peak distances of less than about 3 microns.

19. 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 containing hydrogen peroxide and a basic solution at a high pH level to produce a nanoscale roughened surface consisting of nanopitting superimposed on the microscale roughened surface;

passivating the nanoscale roughened surface with nitric acid; and

rinsing the nanoscale roughened surface in deionized water.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the act of roughening the implant surface comprises grit blasting the implant surface.