Clinical and radiographic evaluation of early loaded free-standing dental implants with various coatings in beagle dogs.
BACKGROUND
Immediate loading of implants may be a predictable treatment alternative when cross-arch stabilization with a fixed provisional is observed.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the effect of immediate masticatory loading on the stability of single-standing dental implants with 4 different surfaces.


METHODS
A total of 40 solid screw implants (diameter 3.3 mm, length 8 mm) were placed in the mandibles of 4 beagle dogs. Test groups included 3 hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings of titanium plasma-sprayed (TPS) implants. Implants with TPS alone served as control. Gold crowns were inserted 2 days after implant placement and the dogs were immediately put on a hard food diet. Implants were followed for 6 months after loading. Clinical and radiographic assessments of implants were performed at time of crown insertion (baseline) and after 1, 3, and 6 months of loading. The Periotest instrument was used for mobility measurements and radiographs were obtained for evaluation of peri-implant radiolucency and measurement of crestal bone changes.


RESULTS
Of 40 implants, 39 displayed no discernible mobility, corresponding to successful clinical function. Peri-implant radiolucencies were absent for all but the 1 mobile implant. The reduction in crestal bone levels adjacent to the implants between baseline and 6 months was statistically significant (P <.0001). No statistically significant differences in crestal bone level changes over time were found between the various coatings demonstrating the absence of a treatment effect initiated by the surface coatings.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study in beagle dogs, immediate masticatory loading of single-standing dental implants did not jeopardize tissue integration, provided the implants had excellent primary stability.
Corso
M
M
Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Sirota
C
C
Fiorellini
J
J
Rasool
F
F
Szmukler-Moncler
S
S
Weber
H P
HP
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003442:Crowns / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003945:Diagnosis, Oral / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004285:Dogs; D017886:Durapatite; D005260:Female; D008409:Mastication; D010474:Percussion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D017886:Durapatite; D014025:Titanium