The present invention generally relates to dental and orthopaedic implants, and more specifically to an implant coated with a chemically bonded ceramic, having a modified substrate surface to improve adhesion of the implant coating to the implant material, wherein the coating includes a gradient zone also containing the material of the implant device wherein the concentration of the implant device material decreases in a direction towards the surface of the coating, and a method of preparing the coated implant as a method of implanting the implant device.