title: Comparison of surface modified zirconia implants with commercially available zirconium and titanium implants: a histological study in pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New biomaterials and their various surface modifications should undergo in vitro and in vivo evaluation before clinical trials. The objective of our in vivo study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of newly created zirconium implant surfaces after implantation in the lower jaw of pigs and compare the osseointegration of these dental implants with commercially available zirconium and titanium implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a healing period of 12 weeks, a histological analysis of the soft and hard tissues and a histomorphometric analysis of the bone-implant contact (BIC) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The implant surfaces showed an intimate connection to the adjacent bone for all tested implants. The 3 newly created zirconium implant surfaces achieved a BIC of 45% on average in comparison with a BIC of 56% from the reference zirconium implants and 35% from titanium implants. Furthermore, the new zirconium implants had a better attachment to gingival and bone tissues in the range of implant necks as compared with the reference implants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the new implants comparably osseointegrate within the healing period, and they have a good in vivo biocompatibility.
authors.affiliation: *Assistant Medical Director, Department of Orthodontics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. †Assistant Medical Director, Department of Oral Surgery, Silesian Piast Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland. ‡Head of Department, Department of Orthodontics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. §Head of Department, Department of Oral Surgery, Silesian Piast Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland. ‖Cheif of the Research Labor, Department of Orthodontics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gredes
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kubasiewicz-Ross
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gedrange
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dominiak
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunert-Keil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015921:Dental Implants; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D014025:Titanium; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; C028541:zirconium oxide