Analysis of plasma flame-sprayed coatings on endosseous oral titanium implants exfoliated in man: Preliminary results

The plasma flame-sprayed coatings on seven ITI-Hollow Basket Implants (types E, F, and K) and eight IMZ-Implants (Cylinder and Cylinder Extension), exfoliated in man, were analyzed metallographically and compared with nonused implants of the same types. Two thirds of the retrieved implants showed a significant decrease of the coating thickness. There was no correlation between the coating thickness reduction and the intraoral functional time. The microhardness of the ITI-Hollow Basket Implant bodies was significantly higher than that of the IMZ-Implants.