title: Dentointegration of a titanium implant: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case illustrates a pulp tissue-induced dentointegration of a titanium implant.
  
  
  METHODS
  One commercially available titanium implant with a sand-blasted and acid-etched surface was placed in the maxilla of a foxhound where the palatinal root of the previously (i.e., 8 weeks) removed first molar was unintentionally retained. After 8 weeks of nonsubmerged healing, the dissected block was prepared for immunohistochemical (osteocalcin) and histomorphometrical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A reparative hard tissue had formed within the artificially opened pulp canal. Also, the external layer of the exposed dentin due to the root fracture during tooth removal further developed into an atubular reparative dentin thus establishing a close contact with the adjacent titanium implant surface. The entire contact zone was demarcated by an intense osteocalcin antigen reactivity. A thin layer of osteocementum originated from the root surface and superimposed implant integration in the peripheral areas. Mean contact of osteodentin/osteocementum to the implant surface was 67.4 %, whereas bone-to-implant contact at the vestibular aspect was 63.5 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present case report provides the first histological evidence for a pulp tissue-induced dentointegration of a titanium implant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany. Frank.Schwarz@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Ilja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mihatovic
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Golubovic
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000473:pathology; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth / Q000662:veterinary*; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008963:Molar / Q000601:surgery*; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology*; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D014025:Titanium; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000662:veterinary*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015675:Osteocalcin; D014025:Titanium