Polymetallism and osseointegration in oral implantology: pilot study on primate

In oral implantology, successful results in osseointegration are obtained in the medium term (6-12 months) with commercially pure titanium implants. However, current superstructures can be of a different nature (precious metal or titanium) and of different manufacture (cast or machine-produced). Polymetallism between the implant and the superstructure may lead to conditions of galvanic corrosion, and influence osseointegration. The study described establishes, on the one hand, the procedures of animal experimentation in primates and on the other, the techniques of analysis of histological sections. The first technique of analysis is based on histomorphometry and leads to the definition of an osseointegration index. The second technique of analysis 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 noted that after 6months, two of which were of activation, osseointegration did not vary according to the nature of the superstructure (precious alloy or titanium). After 2 months, the presence of a precious alloy superstructure lead to titanium migration towards the area around the cervical region of the implant (10-50 microm). This phenomenon did not occur with a titanium implant. It can therefore be presumed that polymetallism leads to detectable corrosion after 2 months but without apparent modification of osseointegration.