CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF HYDROXYAPATITE-COATED TITANIUM PLASMA-SPRAYED AND TITANIUM PLASMA-SPRAYED CYLINDER DENTAL IMPLANTS - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Objective. The purpose of this article was to present the preliminary results of a prospective clinical trial comparing titanium plasma-spra yed Versus hydroxyapatite-coated titanium plasma-sprayed cylinder (pre ss fit) implants in different regions of the mouth. Study design. Sixt y-five subjects met the inclusion requirements. Surgery was done in tw o phases by four experienced surgeons. Implant placement and abutment connection were separated by 3 to 4 months in the mandible, 6 to 7 mon ths in the maxilla. Patients were assigned to either titanium plasma-s prayed or hydroxyapatite-coated implants on the day of surgery. Implan t placement was not stratified for the region of the jaws. Outcome ass essment was failure (loss) of an implant before or within 3 months of second phase surgery. Results. Three hundred fifty-two implants equall y distributed between titanium plasma-sprayed and hydroxyapatite-coate d titanium plasma-sprayed implants were placed in four different sites ; anterior maxilla, posterior maxilla, anterior mandible, and posterio r mandible. There were a total of 15 failures (4.26%). Overall, titani um plasma-sprayed implants showed a higher but not significant failure rate compared with hydroxyapatite-coated implants (p = 0.06). Althoug h not statistically significant, we believe that a smoking history pla yed an important role in the failure of implants. Conclusion, This stu dy suggests that an hydroxyapatite-coating of an implant allows superi or initial integration when compared with a titanium plasma-sprayed su rface.