title: Hydroxyapatite-based composite for dental implants: an in vivo removal torque experiment.
abstract: Screw-shaped dental implants were fabricated from commercially pure Ti (c.p. Ti) and HA-based composites. The HA-based composites were fabricated by mixing HA with Al(2)O(3)-coated ZrO(2) powders. The mechanical properties of these composites were enhanced by a factor of 3. These were implanted into the rabbit tibiae and the removal torque to loosen the implants in vivo was measured in order to investigate the osteointegration. After a healing period of 6 weeks, the implants were retrieved with a torque gauge instrument. The HA-based composite implants showed an almost 2-times-higher removal torque when compared to the Ti implants (ANOVA, p < 0.05), indicating excellent biocompatibility to bone. Thus, HA-based composites had not only better mechanical properties but also similar bioactivity as HA itself. It is believed that a HA-based composite is suitable for artificial dental implants.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Dong-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyoun-Ee
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Jai-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Koak
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D000818:Animals; D015921:Dental Implants; D003764:Dental Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016348:Osseointegration; D011817:Rabbits; D014025:Titanium; D019415:Torque; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants; D003764:Dental Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; C028541:zirconium oxide