Early bone formation around immediately restored implants with and without occlusal contact: a human histologic and histomorphometric evaluation. Case report
Degidi, M.; Piattelli, A.; Shibli, J.A.; Perrotti, V.; Iezzi, G.
International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants 24(4): 734-739
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0882-2786 PMID: 19885416 Document Number: 631931
Human biopsy of immediately loaded implants is the most definitive means to determine the occurrence of osseointegration. This case report discusses the histologic and histomorphometric analysis of the bone-titanium interface in immediately restored implants with and without occlusal contact, retrieved after a healing period of 5 weeks. The two implants had been inserted in the posterior mandible; both were freestanding. One implant had been put into functional loading (in occlusal contact) with a fixed provisional prosthesis on the day of implant surgery (implant A), whereas the other implant was restored without occlusal contact (implant B). Both implants were retrieved with a 5-mm trephine after 5 weeks. Before retrieval, both implants appeared to be clinically osseointegrated, and no mobility was present. Both implants were surrounded by newly formed bone lamellae. In both implants about 0.5 to 1 mm of pre-existing and newly formed bone was found coronal to the implant shoulder, with no resorption of the pre-existing coronal bone. The bone-implant contact percentage in implant A was 51.2% +/- 4.5%, whereas in implant B it was 55.1% +/- 2.3%. Within the limitations of this study, the histologic findings indicated that no differences were found in the histologic response around immediately restored implants with and without occlusal contact.