The purpose of the present study was to compare bone reactions adjacent to titanium implants with either a titanium plasma-sprayed (TPS) or a machined surface subjected to lateral static loading induced by an expansion force. In 3 labrador dogs, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th mandibular premolars were extracted bilaterally. 12 weeks later, 2 implants with a TPS surface were placed in one side and 2 implants with a machined surface were placed in the contralateral side. Twelve weeks after implant installation, crowns, connected in pairs with orthodontic expansion screws, were fitted to the implants and a 0.6 mm wide expansion was initiated. Clinical registrations, standardized radiographs and fluorochrome labeling were carried out during a 24-week period of loading. Biopsies with the implants in situ were harvested and processed for ground sectioning. The sections were subjected to histologic and histometric examination. A higher marginal bone level was observed around implants with a TPS surface compared to machined implants. Furthermore, the values describing the amount of bone-to-implant contact at the bone/implant interface as well as the density of the peri-implant bone were lower at the machined than at the TPS implants.