Alumina and zirconia coated vitallium oral endosteal implants in beagles

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the addition of a ceramic coating upon a Vitallium implant to increase the implant's biologic acceptability in the oral environment. The mandibular premolar teeth in 9 adult beagle dogs were removed bilaterally and these areas allowed to heal for 6 weeks. Ceramic coating with either Al2O3 or ZrO2 was carried out by flame spray deposition upon Vitallium anchor implants (9 of each), and the implants placed into the 18 healed premolar areas. Clinical and radiographic evaluation was conducted by 2 independent investigators over a 32 week period. Implants which exhibited mobility greater than II on a scale of 0 to III, at intervals of one-half, were judged unsatisfactory. After 19 weeks, all 9 Al2O3 coated implants and 5 ZrO2 coated implants were rated unsatisfactory. After 32 weeks, 4 ZrO2 coated implants were in situ with 0 or I mobility. Radiographically the width of the peri-implant space increased in direct proportion to both time and mobility. Histologic sections demonstrated encapsulating dense fibrous connective tissue which was oriented parallel to both ZrO2 and Al2O3 implants. Results suggest the zirconia used is a superior ceramic coating to the alumina. Neither seemed to increase biologic acceptability over uncoated Vitallium implants.

Zirconia: Established facts and perspectives for a biomaterial in dental implantology

“…It is only in the early nineties that zirconia found its application in dental prosthetic surgery with endosseous implants 3, 4. However, to date, the first experimental research on the use of zirconia was published in 1975 by Cranin and coworkers 5. Zirconia and alumina were used to coat vitallium (alloy of chromium and cobalt mainly) in oral endosteal implants in dogs.…”

Stability of Prototype Two‐Piece Zirconia and Titanium Implants after Artificial Aging: An In Vitro Pilot Study

“…Irrespective of implant design, all zirconia implant systems lack scientific background. Zirconia was applied relatively early as an oral implant coating material in animal investigations 1,2 . Animal investigations showed that the bone integration capacity of zirconia seems not to be different from that of titanium 3–8 .…”

Application of Zirconia in Dentistry: Biological, Mechanical and Optical Considerations

“…(Cranin et al, 1975;Miani et al, 1993). With fluorochrome markers, the authors reported the direct apposition of new bone formation to implants after 120 days from the intervention.…”

“…Histological examinations revealed fibrointegration of these implants, but with a higher clinical success of those coated with alumina. (Cranin et al, 1975). With the advancement in technology for stabilizing the tetragonal phase at room temperature, and confirming how it was possible to obtain a structurally more tenacious material, several studies were developed by leveraging the use of zirconia as a structural material in dentistry.…”