THE CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT OF A CERAMIC-COATED TRANSMUCOSAL DENTAL IMPLANT COLLAR

This study compared the superficial tissue responses to titanium and c eramic surfaces of transmucosal elements of established IMZ implants. In a split-mouth study on 14 patients with two mandibular implants and a bar-retained complete mandibular denture, a conventional titanium a nd a newly developed ceramic-coated transmucosal element were placed. A range of clinical parameters were recorded before transmucosal-eleme nt replacement and at 1, 4, and 12 weeks postplacement. A comparison o f the recorded soft tissue responses revealed no significant differenc es between a group of implants fitted with ceramic-coated transmucosal elements and a group of contralateral implants fitted with titanium t ransmucosal elements. Further analysis suggested that the peri-implant soft tissues adjacent to titanium and ceramic surfaces may differ in features that are not apparent when routine clinical parameters are us ed. The plaque accumulation scores for ceramic-coated transmucosal ele ments were significantly lower than those recorded in titanium transmu cosal elements. These results suggest that the further development of a ceramic implant transmucosal collar may assist plaque control at the soft tissue-implant interface and may favourably influence the tissue s in this region. This investigation should be considered a pilot stud y in view of the duration of the observations and number of patients i nvolved.