Osseointegration of zirconia implants compared with titanium: an in vivo study.
BACKGROUND
Titanium and titanium alloys are widely used for fabrication of dental implants. Since the material composition and the surface topography of a biomaterial play a fundamental role in osseointegration, various chemical and physical surface modifications have been developed to improve osseous healing. Zirconia-based implants were introduced into dental implantology as an alternative to titanium implants. Zirconia seems to be a suitable implant material because of its tooth-like colour, its mechanical properties and its biocompatibility. As the osseointegration of zirconia implants has not been extensively investigated, the aim of this study was to compare the osseous healing of zirconia implants with titanium implants which have a roughened surface but otherwise similar implant geometries.


METHODS
Forty-eight zirconia and titanium implants were introduced into the tibia of 12 minipigs. After 1, 4 or 12 weeks, animals were sacrificed and specimens containing the implants were examined in terms of histological and ultrastructural techniques.


RESULTS
Histological results showed direct bone contact on the zirconia and titanium surfaces. Bone implant contact as measured by histomorphometry was slightly better on titanium than on zirconia surfaces. However, a statistically significant difference between the two groups was not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrated that zirconia implants with modified surfaces result in an osseointegration which is comparable with that of titanium implants.
Depprich
Rita
R
Department of Operative and Preventive Dentistry and Endodontics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. depprich@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Zipprich
Holger
H
Ommerborn
Michelle
M
Naujoks
Christian
C
Wiesmann
Hans-Peter
HP
Kiattavorncharoen
Sirichai
S
Lauer
Hans-Christoph
HC
Meyer
Ulrich
U
Kübler
Norbert R
NR
Handschel
Jörg
J
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental; D000818:Animals; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D003764:Dental Materials; D016348:Osseointegration; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology; D014025:Titanium; D015040:Zirconium
D003764:Dental Materials; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; C028541:zirconium oxide