One-piece zirconia implants : 18 months clinical outcomes.

Purpose : The aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the clinical outcomes of a prototype one-piece zirconia implants after a -18 month follow-up.

Material and methods : 20 prototype one-piece zirconia implants were placed and immediately restored with provisional protheses. A flapless or a minimally invasive approach was used for every implant placement. Bone levels were recorded at baseline and -1 year. Surgical, biological and prosthetic complications were also assessed.

Results : The study included 15 patients. Most of the implants (90%) were placed at the anterior maxilla. Six of the implant sites were previously augmented with autogenous bone block grafts, 8 were managed with socket preservation techniques, 3 implants were immediatly placed after extraction and one implant was placed simultanously with a guided bone regeneration. Insertion torque (> 30N/cm2) was reached for all implants.
The implant survival and success rates reached respectively 100% and 95%. One implant abutment fractured at placement because of an excessive insertion torque (> 50 N/cm2). No further complication occurred.

Conclusion : From the preliminary results of this prospective clinical study, one-piece zirconia implants seem to success after 1 year despite they were often placed in critical clinical situtations (bone augmentations) and immediately restored. Further follow-up is needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes.