Abstract
HAP implants bond directly with bone, the load and distribution of occlusal force differs from that of natural teeth, which have physiological motility. More specifically, we considered the occlusal force is a key measure of the restoration of chewing ability. We performed a clinical investigation of the restoration of chewing ability and changes over time in peripheral gingiva in patients that had received HAP-coated dental implants (SUMICIKON®)
The results and implications can be summarized as follows:
1) After implantation the occlusal force tends to rise on both the implants side and the non-implant side after the first year, and adaptation to the implant contributes to the restoration of chewing ability from the standpoint of occlusal force.
2) Restoration of chewing ability was good (39/40 patients), fair (1/40 patients) and poor (0/40 patients), indicating that restoration of chewing ability, including QOL, was achieved.
3) No obvious inflammation was observed in the peri-implant gingiva surrounding after 6 months, and the gingiva remained stable.
