Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the osseointegration of microstructured zirconia implants in comparison with sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) titanium implants in a biomechanical study.
Materials: Zirconia implants (4.1 mm in diameter, 10 mm in length) were produced using a new low pressure injection molding technique. After that the implants were acid-etched with hydrofluoric acid. Standard Ti-SLA implants of the exact same shape served as controls. Six months after extraction of incisors 2 and 3, 16 adult pigs received a total of 64 implants in the maxillae. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks the animals were sacrificed, and 59 implants could be analyzed to removal torque (RTQ) testing.
Results: The mean RTQ values for zirconia implants were 42.4 Ncm at 4 weeks, 69.6 Ncm at 8 weeks, and 69.3 Ncm at 12 weeks of healing, whereas RTQ values for the Ti-SLA implants were 42.1 Ncm, 75.0 Ncm, and 73.1 Ncm at corresponding time intervals. There is no statistical difference in RTQ values between Ti-SLA and zirconia implants at 8 weeks.
Conclusions: Within the limits of the present study it was concluded that acid-etching of zirconia implants enhances bone apposition resulting in RTQ values which were equivalent to that of Ti-SLA.
© 2009, Copyright the Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.