Content area
Full Text
Clinical follow-up was conducted on 127 cylindrical implants placed in 21 patients after 5 years of function: 75 implants were coated with titanium plasma spray (TPS) and 52 implants were coated with hydroxyapatite (HA). The aim of the study was to assess possible differences in clinical function and success rates for each implant type. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were conducted, and the periodontal indices of gingival bleeding, plaque, and calculus were measured. Cumulative data were analyzed for differences by implant type and jaw location. No significant differences were found between the 2 implant systems according to the periodontal parameters studied; however, 5-year success rates were 86.7% for TPS-coated implants and 94.3% for HA-coated implants. The periodontal probe index presented abnormal values in the patients with systemic disease and those who were provisionally restored with single-tooth restorations, complete screw-retained dentures, and fixed partial dentures. There were no differences regarding implant placement when mandibles and maxillae were compared. Long-term success rates were outstanding for HA-coated implants and acceptable for TPS-coated implants after 5 years of function. No significant differences were found between the 2 surfaces.
Key Words: cylindrical endosseous implants, hydroxyapatite, titanium plasma spray, coating
INTRODUCTION
Over the past 3 decades, dental implant use has rapidly expanded in daily clinical practice as a viable alternative to conventional fixed and removable prostheses. As a consequence of this growth, many modifications have been made to implant designs and surfaces. Cylindrical implant designs have been used for many years with excellent results1,2 to rehabilitate patients experiencing dental losses. However, today many manufacturers are replacing cylinders with threaded implant designs3-5 that can provide improved primary stability for immediate loading. Implant surface technology has also evolved from machined titanium and surfaces coated with titanium plasma spray (TPS) and hydroxyapatite (HA) to newer, textured titanium surfaces that provide increased surface topography without the addition of a coating.6-8
Titanium plasma spray coating, introduced on dental implants in the mid-1970s, is fabricated by applying molten particles of commercially pure titanium powder to the implant surface by a plasma spraying technique.9,10 Some researchers11 have reported TPS-coated implants capable of developing a higher percentage of bone-to-implant contact (BIC) on their surfaces and through their apical vents than implants with machined surfaces, whereas others12 have reported...