Grit Blasting

Grit blasting is the delivery to a dental implant surface of a high velocity stream of abrasive particles propelled by compressed air. It is designed to increase surface area. In dental implant procedures, there is evidence to suggest that grit blasting implant surfaces provides an increased base for the interlocking of bone tissue. It is therefore believed to play a role in the rate of osseointegration due to osteoblast adhesion and protein adsorption. However, additional studies also show that grit blasting has the potential to weaken the implant surface as a result of micro-embedded particles. These particles create an increased risk of fatigue fracture in the implant and therefore lead to a reduced implant success rate. However, proper application of grit blasting to implant surfaces can provide a benefit to the osseointegration process without increasing the risk of fatigue fractures. It is therefore essential that proper grit blasting protocols be followed when working with dental implants.