A Pilot Study with Randomised Controlled Design Comparing TiZr Alloy Dental Implants to Ti Implants

Area of Science:

• Dental implantology
• Biomaterials science
• Periodontology

Background:

• Limited clinical data exists for newer titanium-zirconium (TiZr) alloy dental implants.
• Understanding bone and soft tissue response is crucial for implant success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical performance of TiZr alloy dental implants against commercially pure titanium (Ti) implants.
• To evaluate changes in marginal bone level and soft tissue dimensions around these implants over one year.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled pilot study involving 21 patients and 40 dental implants.
• Implants were categorized into TiZr alloy and Ti groups, with randomization for smoking status.
• Measurements included marginal bone level, soft tissue height, and keratinized mucosa width at baseline and one-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• TiZr alloy implants exhibited significant marginal bone loss after one year (P < 0.001).
• Marginal bone loss was significantly higher for TiZr implants compared to Ti implants (P < 0.001).
• Soft tissue dimensions (height and keratinized mucosa width) remained stable for both implant materials.

Conclusions:

• One-year follow-up suggests more initial marginal bone loss around TiZr alloy dental implants than around Ti implants.
• Further research is needed to assess the long-term clinical performance and implications of TiZr alloy implants.