Polymetallism and osseointegration in oral implantology: pilot study on primate

In oral implantology, successful results in osseointegration are obtained i n the medium term (6-12 months) with commercially pure titanium implants. H owever, current superstructures can be of a different nature (precious meta l or titanium) and of different manufacture (cast or machine-produced). Pol ymetallism between the implant and the superstructure may lead to condition s of galvanic corrosion, and influence osseointegration. The study describe d establishes, on the one hand, the procedures of animal experimentation in primates and on the other, the techniques of analysis of histological sect ions. The first technique of analysis is based on histomorphometry and lead s to the definition of an osseointegration index. The second technique of a nalysis consists of X spectrometry by dispersion of energy which enables a spectral analysis of selected points below the crestal neck of the implant (vulnerable area in the case of corrosive attack) to be obtained. It is not ed that after 6 months, two of which were of activation, osseointegration d id not vary according to the nature of the superstructure (precious alloy o r titanium). After 2 months, the presence of a precious alloy superstructur e lead to titanium migration towards the area around the cervical region of the implant (10-50 mu m). This phenomenon did not occur with a titanium im plant. It can therefore be presumed that polymetallism leads to detectable corrosion after 2 months but without apparent modification of osseointegrat ion.