Behavior of endosseous one-piece yttrium stabilized zirconia dental implants placed in posterior areas

Aim. Considering that zirconia dental implants are indicated for the rehabilitation of highly esthetic areas, the aim of this work was to investigate the functional behavior of these implants positioned in the posterior regions of the jaws. Methods. The study included 6 patients with 14 zirconia implants positioned in posterior (molar) areas of the jaws. Immediately after surgery, all implants were restored with temporary crowns or bridges. Clinical radiographic evaluation was performed 6 months after surgery and subsequently every year. At these follow-up visits, periodontal indexes were recorded and peri-apical radiographs were taken in order to calculate marginal bone loss. Results. The success and survival rates were 100%. The modified bleeding index (mBI) and modified plaque index (mPLI) were respectively equal to 0.57±0.51 and 0.29 ± 0.47 at 4-year follow-up. The overall mean probing depth of the implants was 3.13±0.87 mm. The mean marginal bone loss was +0.665 mm 4 years after surgery. Conclusion. Considering the limits of our study, as regards to the data concerning peri-implant tissue health, marginal bone loss and survival and success rates of zirconium implants placed in posterior areas, we can conclude that the data reported are very encouraging although the number of implants observed is still limited.