Comparative Analysis of Osteoblastic Responses to Titanium and Alumina-Toughened Zirconia Implants: An In Vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoblastic responses play a crucial role in the success of oral implants. Enhanced proliferation of osteoblast cells is associated with reduced cell mortality and an increase in bone regeneration. This study aims to evaluate the osteoblastic responses following oral implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteoblast stem cells were harvested and subsequently cultivated using cell culture techniques. The osteoblastic phenotype of the extracted cells was confirmed by examining the extracellular matrix. Cell morphogenesis on functionalized biomaterial surfaces was assessed through indirect immunofluorescence staining. The cellular response was investigated in the presence of two types of implant materials: titanium (Ti) and alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ). Cell viability and apoptosis were quantitatively assessed using MTT assays and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: The survival of osteoblastic lineage cells was moderately reduced post-implantation. Viability in the Ti implant group remained at approximately 86%, while in the ATZ group, it was observed at 75%, which is considered acceptable. Moreover, there was a significant disparity in cell survival between the two implant groups (p < 0.05). Analysis of apoptosis levels at various concentrations revealed that the rate of apoptosis was 3.6% in the control group and 18.5% in the ATZ group, indicating that apoptosis or programmed cell death in the ATZ-treated group had increased nearly four-fold (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate a reduction in osteoblastic cell line survival following implant treatment, with titanium implants exhibiting superior performance in terms of cell survival. However, it was also noted that the incidence of apoptosis in osteoblast cells was significantly higher in the presence of zirconium-based implants.

Regulación de la implantología dental en México / Regulation of dental implantology in Mexico

Introducción: los implantes dentales se han convertido en uno de los tratamientos odontológicos con mayor demanda en todo el mundo, no sólo por el nivel máximo de funcionalidad y de estética, sino también debido a su estabilidad, osteointegración y facilidad en su rehabilitación. Es incierto si los implantes dentales se encuentran normados formalmente en México, lo que motiva a la revisión del estado actual. Objetivo: evidenciar el estado actual de la legislación de la práctica de la implantología dental en México a través de una revisión en la literatura. Material y métodos: revisión de las legislaciones existentes en México para la aplicación de implantes dentales y su contraparte en el mundo a través de la evaluación de normas expedidas en América y Europa. Resultados: se contabilizó un total de 17 escuelas de implantes dentales que cuentan con el reconocimiento de la Secretaría de Educación Pública, de las cuales tres son públicas y 14 privadas. Se presentó una discrepancia en los planes de estudio que va de 16 a 36 meses. Las escuelas no contaron con un aval normativo. Las normas internacionales para control de calidad y aplicación de la tecnología en implantes se ubicaron en Canadá, Estados Unidos, España, Reino Unido y Francia. Conclusiones: contar con un antecedente normativo establecido por los países de primer mundo y ausente en México permite evidenciar la necesidad de implementar una Norma Oficial Mexicana que regule la fabricación, distribución y almacenamiento de los implantes dentales en México. A la vez, la revisión sugiere que la Secretaría de Educación Pública norme los créditos mínimos necesarios en las instituciones educativas reconocidas para la formación de recursos humanos que ejercen la implantología dental (AU)

Introduction: dental implants have become one of the dental treatments with the highest demand in the world, not only because of the highest level of functionality and aesthetics, but also because of their stability, osseointegration and ease of rehabilitation. It is uncertain if dental implants are formally regulated in Mexico, which motivates the review of the current status. Objective: to demonstrate the current state of the legislation for the practice of dental implantology in Mexico through a review of the literature. Material and methods: review of the existing legislation in Mexico, for the application of dental implants and its counterpart in the world, through the evaluation of standards issued in America and Europe. Results: a total of 17 dental implant schools that have the recognition of the Ministry of Public Education were counted, of which 3 are public and 14 private. There was a discrepancy in the study plans that ranged from 16 to 36 months. Schools will not have regulatory backing. The international standards for quality control and application of technology in implants were located in Canada, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom and France. Conclusions: having a normative antecedent established by the countries of the first world and absent in Mexico, allows to demonstrate the need for the implementation of an Official Mexican Standard, which regulates the manufacture, distribution and storage of dental implants in Mexico. At the same time, the review suggests that the Ministry of Public Education regulate the minimum necessary credits in recognized educational institutions, for the training of human resources that practice dental implantology (AU)

Do the tube current and metal artifact reduction influence the diagnosis of vertical root fracture in a tooth positioned in the vicinity of a zirconium implant? A CBCT study.

AIM: To evaluate the influence of the tube current and metal artifact reduction (MAR) tool on the diagnosis of vertical root fractures (VRF) in a tooth adjacent to a zirconium implant, in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. METHODOLOGY: Thirty single-rooted teeth (15 with VRF and 15 control group) were individually positioned in a mandible, and scanned with the OP300 CBCT unit. Images were acquired using a standardized protocol: 5 × 5 cm field of view, 0.08-mm voxel size, and 90 kVp. Each tooth was scanned with and without a zirconium implant in its vicinity, using different tube currents (4 mA, 8 mA, and 10 mA) and conditions of MAR (enabled × disabled). Diagnostic values were calculated for each protocol, and compared by multi-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The ROC curve and sensitivity values did not differ significantly among the tube currents, regardless of the presence of the implant and MAR condition (p > 0.05). There were also no significant differences among the tube currents for the specificity values (p > 0.05); however, the specificity differed significantly between the "with implant" and "without implant" conditions, within the same MAR condition and tube current (p < 0.05). Specificity was significantly lower when the implant was present (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of a zirconium implant impairs the diagnosis of VRF in teeth adjacent to the artifact-generator material. Neither the tube current nor the MAR tool is effective in improving this diagnostic task. Therefore, in this clinical scenario, the use of the lowest tube current (4 mA), without MAR activation, is recommended. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Considering that the tube current is one of the main factors that influence the radiation dose and image quality in CBCT, and that metal artifacts negatively influence the diagnosis of VRF in areas adjacent to the artifact-generator material, it is important to evaluate the effect of this energetic parameter in the diagnosis of VRF in teeth adjacent to zirconium implants.

Clinical effect of titanium-zirconium small-diameter implants in the anterior esthetic zone / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To investigate the clinical effect of a titanium-zirconium small-diameter implant in anterior teeth with bone deficiencies in the esthetic area and to provide a basis for clinical application of this implant. @* Methods @# A retrospective analysis was performed using clinical data from 30 patients with a missing alveolar ridge width < 5.5 mm and a titanium-zirconium 3.3 mm diameter implant prosthesis in the anterior esthetic region. A total of 38 titanium-zirconium implants with a diameter of 3.3 mm were implanted in 30 patients. Clinical examination and CBCT were performed 12 and 24 months after implantation to evaluate the success rate and marginal bone resorption of the 3.3 mm small-diameter titanium-zirconium implants. The modified plaque index, improved gingival sulcus bleeding index, exploration depth, pink esthetic score (PES) and prosthetic complications were measured and recorded.@*Results @#The 24-month success rate of the implant was 100%. The average marginal bone resorption height was 0.51 ± 0.20 mm at 12 months after implant placement and 0.59 ± 0.18 mm at 24 months. The edge bone height did not change significantly (t=1.381, P=0.178). No significant differences were found in the modified plaque index around the implant, modified sulcus bleeding index and probing depth between 12 and 24 months (P > 0.05), and the gingival health was good. The PES value was 9.77 ± 1.48 at 12 months and 10.77 ± 1.50 at 24 months (t=0.426, P=0.672). The PES was increased at 24 months versus 12 months, but this difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The overall esthetic effect was good, and no complications occurred after repair.@*Conclusion@# Titanium-zirconium small-diameter implants can achieve good short-term clinical results in the esthetic area of the anterior teeth.

The effects of crown venting or pre-cementing of CAD/CAM-constructed all-ceramic crowns luted on YTZ implants on marginal cement excess.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the cement excess produced when cementing CAD/CAM-fabricated lithium disilicate (L) or zirconium dioxide (Z) crowns using adhesive cement (A) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (B). Three different cementation techniques were applied: palatal venting (PV), pre-cementation with custom analogs (CA), and conventional standard procedure (SP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two crowns (36 each material) were assigned to 12 experimental groups depending on the restoration material (L, Z), type of cement (A, B), and cementation technique (PV, CA, SP). Weight measurements were taken during cementation, and the amounts of excess cement, cement retained in crown, and relative excess cement were calculated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A significant direct relation between the amounts of cement applied and excess cement was observed in groups CA and SP. Vented crowns showed least amounts of marginal excess cement (0.8 ± 0.3 µl) followed by CA (4.2 ± 1.1 µl) and SP (8.8 ± 2.5 µl; p < .001). In CA, 32.1% less excess cement (95%CI: 28.4, 35.7) was produced than in the SP group (p < .001), but 27.4% more than in the PV group (95%CI: 23.8,31.0; p < .001). Overall, slightly smaller amounts of adhesive cement (A) than of glass ionomer cement (B) were retained in crowns. CONCLUSIONS: Using crown venting was the most effective measure to reduce the amount of marginal excess cement, followed using a pre-cementation device. To keep the marginal excess cement of one-piece zirconia implants to a minimum, both techniques should be considered for clinical application.

Fracture behavior, marginal gap width, and marginal quality of vented or pre-cemented CAD/CAM all-ceramic crowns luted on Y-TZP implants.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the fracture behavior and marginal gap region of CAD/CAM fabricated lithium disilicate (L) and zirconium dioxide (Z) crowns using palatal venting (PV), pre-cementation with custom analogs (CA), or conventional cementation technique (SP) with adhesive cement (A) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (B). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve groups (n = 6) were set according to material (L, Z), cement (A, B), and technique (PV, CA, SP). Specimens were thermo-mechanical aged (TML), loaded until fracture (LF) and fracture patterns recorded. Marginal gap width and quality were assessed and compared to replicas obtained before and after TML. RESULTS: Crown material significantly influenced LF with a mean of 1037.6 ± 282.4 N in L and 5356.3 ± 1207.0 N in Z groups (p < .001). Neither cement material nor cementation method affected the outcome. Fractures occurred along the mesial-distal central fissure in both materials. Gap width before TML was 22.04 ± 13.42 µm for L and 19.98 ± 12.72 µm for Z specimens, with overall no influence of crown material, cement type, or method. Marginal cleanliness just below the polished implant shoulder reached 66.7%-88.9% with A, and 91.7%-100% with B, and tended to increase in all groups during TML indicating a decrease in excess cement. Implant-crown junctions were cleaner with B compared to A (p ≤ .001) and along Z crown surfaces compared to L (p ≤ .007). CONCLUSIONS: Crown venting of lithium disilicate and zirconium dioxide crowns did not affect the fracture load and patterns. Complete cement removal was rare, and the observed particle ablation requires further clinical attention, particularly with submucosal margins.

In vitro and in vivo characterization of anodised zirconium as a potential material for biomedical applications.

In vitro studies offer the insights for the understanding of the mechanisms at the tissue-implant interface that will provide an effective functioning in vivo. The good biocompatibility of zirconium makes a good candidate for biomedical applications and the attractive in vivo performance is mainly due to the presence of a protective oxide layer. The aim of this study is to evaluate by in vitro and in vivo approach, the influence of surface modification achieved by anodisation at 30 and 60V on zirconium implants on the first steps of the osseointegration process. In this study cell attachment, proliferation and morphology of mouse myoblast C2C12-GFP and in mouse osteoprogenitor MC3T3-E1 cells was evaluated. Also, together with the immune system response, osteoclast differentiation and morphology with RAW 264.7 murine cell line were analysed. It was found that anodisation treatment at 60V enhanced cell spreading and the osteoblastic and osteoclastic cells morphology, showing a strong dependence on the surface characteristics. In vivo tests were performed in a rat femur osteotomy model. Dynamical and static histological and histomorphometric analyses were developed 15 and 30days after surgery. Newly formed bone around Zr60V implants showed a continuous newly compact and homogeneous bone just 15 after surgery, as judged by the enhanced thickness and mineralization rate. The results indicate that anodising treatment at 60V could be an effective improvement in the osseointegration of zirconium by stimulating adhesion, proliferation, morphology, new bone thickness and bone mineral apposition, making zirconium an emerging candidate material for biomedical applications.

Stability and Marginal Bone Level Changes of SLActive Titanium-Zirconium Implants Placed with Flapless Surgery: A Prospective Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Immediately-loaded, narrow-diameter implants can be a less invasive alternative for the implant-supported fixed rehabilitation of narrow, posterior crests. PURPOSE: To determine the stability and marginal bone level (MBL) changes of narrow-diameter, titanium-zirconium (TiZr) implants placed with flapless surgery and loaded immediately in the posterior region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight TiZr implants (3.3 mm diameter, 10 mm length, Roxolid, Straumann AG) were placed in the posterior crests of 14 patients with computer-guided flapless surgery as a support of 3-unit posterior bridges. Eighteen implants were loaded immediately, and 20 implants were loaded conventionally. The implant stability quotients were determined at the 1, 2, 4, and 8. weeks of healing before conventional loading, and at the 3, 6, and 12. months after loading by resonance frequency analysis. The MBL changes were measured by digital radiography. RESULTS: The surgical protocols were accomplished without any biological complications. There was no significant difference in the stability changes of TiZr implants between the loading groups (p > .05). The MBL changes were -0.18 ± 0.27 mm and -0.24 ± 0.27 mm at the 12. month of immediate and conventional loading, respectively, which was not statistically significant (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The stability and MBL changes of TiZr implants supporting posterior 3-unit bridges were clinically acceptable at the first year of loading.

Bioactive implant surface with electrochemically bound doxycycline promotes bone formation markers in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to demonstrate a successful binding of Doxy hyclate onto a titanium zirconium alloy surface. METHODS: The coating was done on titanium zirconium coins in a cathodic polarization setup. The surface binding was analyzed by SEM, SIMS, UV-vis, FTIR and XPS. The in vitro biological response was tested with MC3T3-E1 murine pre-osteoblast cells after 14 days of cultivation and analyzed in RT-PCR. A rabbit tibial model was also used to confirm its bioactivity in vivo after 4 and 8 weeks healing by means of microCT. RESULTS: A mean of 141 µg/cm(2) of Doxy was found firmly attached and undamaged on the coin. Inclusion of Doxy was documented up to a depth of approximately 0.44 µm by tracing the (12)C carbon isotope. The bioactivity of the coating was documented by an in vitro study with murine osteoblasts, which showed significantly increased alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin gene expression levels after 14 days of cell culture along with low cytotoxicity. Doxy coated surfaces showed increased bone formation markers at 8 weeks of healing in a rabbit tibial model. SIGNIFICANCE: The present work demonstrates a method of binding the broad spectrum antibiotic doxycycline (Doxy) to an implant surface to improve bone formation and reduce the risk of infection around the implant. We have demonstrated that TiZr implants with electrochemically bound Doxy promote bone formation markers in vitro and in vivo.