Tactile sensibility of sapphire endosseous dental implants.

Experiments are described in which the tactile thresholds of sapphire (bioceram) endosseous implants were measured and compared with those of natural teeth. The effects of local anaesthesia were determined in an attempt to localize the mechanoreceptors involved. The thresholds of the implants were higher than those of natural teeth but lower than those of another type of implant (alumina tubingen) examined in another study. The results of local anaesthesia testing indicated that the sensory receptors involved were located in the connective tissues around the implant.