RESUMO
The Tübingen polycrystalline alumina implant utilizes bony apposition as the method of stabilization. Its cylindrical configuration allows the implant site to be prepared by use of ultra-low-speed drills. This study focused on the use of the implant as a single-tooth, free-standing device. Thirty patients were selected. Devices were followed for five years. The implants were placed in one of two applications: immediate extraction site or healed edentulous ridge. A simple purse-string suture technique was used for closure. Periodic observations were recorded. Of the 30 planned implants, all have been completed to date. Twenty-five of the 30 have been considered successful. Twenty-three of the 25 successes were from the immediate extraction group. Only 2 of 5 were successful in the healed ridge group. Due to the structural requirements of the Tübingen implant, its size makes it usable only in wider-than-average edentulous ridges. The success rate was 83.3%, and for those devices placed in immediate extraction sites, a success rate of 92% was recorded.
