Advances in Dental Research, Vol 13, 170-172, Copyright © 1999 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
Ceramic-coated implant systems
R. M. Meffert
Department of Periodontics, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78284, USA.
Practitioners have used hydroxyapatite-coated (HA-coated) endosseous and
subperiosteal implants in various forms for many years. These have included
root forms in both screw and cylindrical shapes, blades, and
subperiosteals. The clinical predictability remains controversial and
subject to claims and counterclaims. The early days of dental implantology
involving root-form implants recommended their placement in fully
edentulous cases only, and anterior to the maxillary sinus and mental
foramen. Today's philosophy and rationale of dental implantology include
the placement of a single implant replacing a missing natural tooth
(especially where the teeth adjacent to the edentulous site have no caries
or restorative experience). Implants are used to replace the natural
dentition in one quadrant/segment, often preceded or accompanied by ridge
augmentation and/or sinus grafting if sufficient bone is not present. So we
have to address the clinical predictability of survival in terms of
indications, quantity, and quality of bone. Clinical data and experience
suggest that hydroxyapatite-coated (HA) dental implants may (and possibly
should) be used in (1) Type IV bone, (2) fresh extraction sites, (3)
grafted maxillary and/or nasal sinuses, or (4) with short implants (< or
= 10 mm in length).
