title: A prospective clinical study to evaluate the performance of zirconium dioxide dental implants in single-tooth gaps.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental implants have traditionally been made from titanium or its alloys, but recently full-ceramic implants have been developed with comparable osseointegration properties and functional strength properties to titanium. These ceramic implants may have advantages in certain patients and situations, for example, where esthetic outcomes are particularly important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the performance of a newly developed full-ceramic ZrO2monotype implant design (PURE Ceramic Implant; Institut Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland) in single-tooth gaps in the maxilla and mandible.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, open-label, single-arm study in patients requiring implant rehabilitation in single-tooth gaps. Full-ceramic implants were placed, with provisional and final prostheses inserted after 3 and 6 months, respectively. Crestal bone level was measured at implant placement and after 6 and 12 months. Implant survival and success were evaluated after 6 and 12 months. Further evaluations are planned after 24 and 36 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-six patients were screened for potential study participation, of whom 44 (17 men and 27 women, mean age 48 ± 14 years) were recruited into the study. The majority of implants (90.9%) were placed in the maxilla. The implant survival and implant success rate after 12 months were 97.6%. A minor change of the mean bone level occurred between implant loading (final prosthesis insertion after 6 months) and 12 months (-0.14 mm) after initial bone remodeling was observed between implant placement and loading (-0.88 mm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that monotype ceramic implants can achieve clinical outcomes comparable to published outcomes of equivalent titanium implants.
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic Kniha Gahlert, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gahlert
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic Kniha Gahlert, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kniha
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Stuttgart, Katharinenhospital, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weingart
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Stuttgart, Katharinenhospital, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nils-Claudius
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Gellrich
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|Dental Clinic Bormann, Oralchirurgie am Hafen, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai-Hendrik
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Bormann
mesh_terms: D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D003764:Dental Materials; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide
keywords: ceramic implant; esthetics; zirconium dioxide