Long-term Observation of Porous Sapphire Dental Implants

• Published in: Bulletin of Tokyo Dental College Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 23 - 27
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Toshiyuki, Miho, Otoaki, Tsunoda, Masatake, Nakagawa, Kan-Ichi, Sato, Toru, Suzuki, Yuta, Hisanaga, Ryuichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Tokyo Dental College, Japan 01.02.2008; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alumina; Aluminum Oxide; Clinical prognosis; Crowns; Dental implant; Dental Implantation, Endosseous; Dental Implants; Dental Porcelain; Dental Prosthesis Design; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; Dental Restoration Failure; Denture, Partial, Fixed; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Long-term observation; Male; Metal Ceramic Alloys; Middle Aged; Porosity; Porous; Prognosis
• ISSN: 0040-8891
• DOI: 10.2209/tdcpublication.49.23

We used porous sapphire dental implants made of alumina clinically for 4 years 1 month, commencing September, 1984 until September, 1988. Subjects consisted of 18 men and 42 women 20-71 years old (mean age: 35 years). Sixty-five implants were inserted in 60 patients. Of these, 20 were clinical cases of an implant connected with natural teeth and 45 were free-standing cases. We conducted a follow-up study on these patients over a 23-year period. One implant in 1 patient had to be removed because of postoperative infection and 8 implants in 7 patients had to be removed because of fracturing or detachment of the porous-part. This paper reports 3 cases where implants remained in place for 21-23 years. These cases have all shown good long-term clinical progress.