In vivo evaluation of a CSTi dental implant: a healing time course study.

The in vivo interface attachment strength and histology of CSTi (cancellous-structured titanium)-coated cylindrical dental implants were compared with those of solid HA-coated dental implants of the same dimensions and geometry. The implants were placed in healed extraction sites in the mandibles and prepared unicortical sites in the femurs of canines. The mandibular implants were evaluated at two, four, eight, and 12 weeks post-implantation, and the femoral implants were evaluated at two, four, eight, 12, 16, 24, and 34 weeks post-implantation. The interface attachment strength of the CSTi implants placed in the mandible at two, four, eight, and 12 weeks was not significantly different from that of the control HA-coated implants. In the femurs, the CSTi implants were significantly stronger than the HA-coated implants at all time periods except 12 weeks (two, four, eight, 16, 24, and 34 weeks). The CSTi implants were able to achieve high percentages of bone ingrowth in the mandible and femur of up to 92% at the later time periods, thus providing a sound interface bond.