Ceramic root implantation in baboons

✍ Scribed by Hamner, James E. ;Reed, O. M. ;Greulich, Richard C.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1972
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 769 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9304
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.820060403

✦ Synopsis

When a human natural tooth is evulsed and lost, replacement by implantation of a replica would be one logical treatment choice. Identification of an appropriate biomaterial which would allow the replica to function in a stable manner without eliciting a toxic response is one of the major challenges facing dentistry today, and has been the subject of an increasing number of investigations in recent years.

Because of questions which still remain regarding the biocompatibility of candidate materials, extensive animal research in tooth implantation is an absolute necessity. Primates, providing dental models closely approximating the human condition, are especially valuable for undertaking that systematic scrutiny of experimental implant materials which is so clearly prerequisite t o human clinical trials.

In the present study, 22 calcium aluminate roots were implanted into fresh natural tooth extraction sites in 10 baboons for periods ranging from 2 weeks to 10 months. The controlled porosity of the ceramic roots varied from 50 to 200 fi.

Implant retention and stability, resulting from adequate ingrowth of fibrous/vascular elements into the ceramic pores with subsequent mineralization therein of newly formed ostcoid matrix, were optimal when the calcium aluminate root implants had a porosity of 100-200 Jl .

Calcium aluminate root implants so successfully met all criteria of tissue adherence and host acceptance in the present short-term study that their application in basic and clinical studies in man seem fully warranted at this time.