"Biologic Width" and Crestal Bone Remodeling with Sintered Porous-Surfaced Dental Implants: A Study in Dogs

Purpose: The aim of this study was to obtain histometric measurements of bone and peri-implant mucosal tissue contact with implants of 2 sintered porous-surfaced designs. The "short-collar" design had a collar height (smooth coronal region) of 0.75 mm, while the "long-collar" model had a smooth coronal region of 1.8 mm. Materials and Methods: Implants (2 per side) were placed in healed mandibular extraction sites of 4 beagle dogs using a submerged technique. After 4 weeks of healing, they were uncovered and used to support fixed partial dentures for a 9-month period. After sacrifice, specimens were retrieved and nondemineralized sections were examined histometrically to determine the most coronal bone-to-implant contact (first BIC) using the microgap as a reference and standard mucosal parameters of "biologic width". Results: Significant (P = .001) differences in first BIC were found between designs (1.97 mm for long-collar versus 1.16 mm for short-collar implants) for posteriorly located implants but not for anteriorly located ones (1.21 mm versus 1.38 mm; P = .40). If crestal bone loss involved sintered surface, fibrous connective tissue ingrowth was observed to replace lost bone. No significant differences in peri-implant mucosal measurements (total peri-implant mucosal thickness; length of the epithelial component of this mucosa, and thickness of the connective tissue component) were detected between implant designs. Conclusions: Results suggest that "biologic width" accommodation drives initial crestal bone loss with sintered porous-surfaced implants. Histometric data obtained for bone contact showed no significant differences between the long- and short-collar implant designs. Keywords: biologic width, bone remodeling, collar height, sintered porous-surfaced dental implants