An in vitro biomechanical evaluation of a new commercial titanium-zirconium alloy dental implant: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND

The study compared the implant mobility and surrounding bone strain between the titanium-zirconium (Ti-Zr) alloy and the commercial pure (CP) Ti implants.

METHODS

The mobility--quantified as the implant stability quotient (ISQ) and Periotest value (PTV)--of implants constructed from Ti-Zr alloy and CP Ti placed into artificial type-2 jawbone models were measured. Specimens were tested by applying 190 N vertically or at 30 degrees laterally. Peak values of the principal strains of bone were recorded by rosette strain gauges with a data acquisition system and were analyzed statistically using Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

RESULTS

PTV and ISQ values did not differ significantly between the Ti-Zr and CP Ti implants (P > 0.01). Under vertical loading, the peak bone strains did not differ significantly between the Ti-Zr and CP Ti specimens (P > 0.006). However, the peak strains were 52% lower around the Ti-Zr implant than around the Ti implant on the buccal side of bone under lateral loading (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The implant material (Ti-Zr alloy vs CP Ti) had no effect on the mobility of small-diameter dental implants. However, using Ti-Zr alloy as an implant material decreased the periimplant bone strain under lateral loading in this pilot study.