TITANIUM IMPLANTS AND LATERAL FORCES - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY WITH SHEEP

The purpose of this study was to investigate the resistance of titaniu m implants to horizontal forces in a sheep model. Twenty implants were inserted into the foreheads of 5 sheep, 4 implants on each animal. Af ter a healing period of 3 months, abutments were mounted on the implan ts. After a further healing period of 3 weeks, the implants were loade d with a horizontal pull of orthodontic elastics. The force varied bet ween 250 and 350 grams. The duration of loading was 3 months. After th e loading period the animals were sacrificed and the forehead bones wi th implants were fixed in formalin and evaluated histologically. In th e histological specimens no signs of infection or bone loss were found around the implants. The results of the present study encourage the u se of titanium implants also in cases where constant lateral forces ar e present.