A six-year study of hydroxyapatite-coated root-form dental implants.

BACKGROUND The effect of hydroxyapatite coating of dental implants is controversial. The long-term fate of hydroxyapatite-coated implants has been the subject of some criticism. PURPOSE The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the clinical outcome of hydroxyapatite-coated cylindrical root-form endosseous Impladent dental implants (LASAK Ltd, Prague, Czech Republic) during a six-year course. METHODS Three-hundred and ninety-one consecutively placed implants were used in 169 patients and followed for four to six years. Interval and cumulative success of implants and prostheses survival was tabulated. Marginal bone loss was measured RESULTS Of the total number of implants, 98.5% achieved initial osseointegration. The cumulative success was 98.3% after one year, 97.0% after three years, 92.8% after five years and 90.4% after six years. The prostheses survival at the end of the study was 100% for fixed bridges totally supported by implants, 96.5% for fixed bridges with combined implant and tooth support, 94.2% for single crowns, 90.9% for mandibular overdentures and 81.3% for maxillary overdentures. Marginal bone loss averaged 2.4 +/- 0.8 mm at the end of five years. CONCLUSION The success rate of the investigated hydroxyapatite-coated implants was comparable with the data presented in the literature and with the results of the similar implants without hydroxyapatite-coating. However, the marginal bone loss was of interest. Longer monitoring of the implants is necessary.