PurposeThe overall aim of this project was to study osteoblast cell attachment on titanium surfaces with varying surface roughness.Materials and MethodsCommercially pure titanium surfaces were prepared by polishing through 600-grit sandpaper, sandblasting, or sandblasting followed by acid etching to produce surfaces of varying roughness, as determined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.In vitrocell attachment of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts was performed on the prepared surfaces in both serum-containing and serum-free media conditions.ResultsCell attachment was directly related to the average surface roughness, with the highest levels of cell attachment observed on sandblasted and sandblasted-acid-etched surfaces. Similar patterns of cell attachment were observed when serum-free conditions were employed.ConclusionsCombined surface analytical and cell/molecular biological techniques are powerful tools to broaden our understanding of biological events occurring at the implant-tissue interface. Data acquired from thesein vitrotechniques provide a translational application toin vivoclinical models leading to the next generation of dental implants.