What the material is
Titanium-zirconium (Ti-Zr) is an alloy of two biocompatible metals.1 It has higher tensile strength than commercially pure titanium.1 Narrow Ti-Zr implants were developed by Institut Straumann AG under the name Roxolid.1
Why it is used
Reduced-diameter titanium implants carry a higher risk of fracture, and narrow Ti-Zr implants were developed in response.1
Clinical results
The FDA lists titanium alloys among the materials used for dental implants.2 A 2016 systematic review of English-language studies published up to December 2014 pooled 9 clinical studies with 922 narrow Ti-Zr implants in 607 patients.1
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Survival at 1 year | 98.4 percent |
| Survival at 2 years | 97.7 percent |
| Mean bone loss at 1 year | 0.36 mm |
| Mean bone loss at 2 years | 0.41 mm |
| Follow-up range | 3 to 36 months |
Success rates, a stricter measure in that review, were 97.8 percent at 1 year and 97.3 percent at 2 years.1 The authors described these results as comparable to regular-diameter titanium implants in the short term and stated that longer follow-up is needed.1
How narrow implants are classified
The ITI Group 1 consensus (2018) sorted narrow implants into three diameter categories: under 2.5 mm (mini implants), 2.5 to under 3.3 mm, and 3.3 to 3.5 mm.3 Mean survival was 94.7, 97.3 and 97.7 percent across these categories.3 The group concluded that implants of 2.5 mm diameter or more had survival similar to standard-diameter implants, and implants under 2.5 mm had lower survival.3
Questions to ask
- Why a narrow implant is planned at this site.
- Which material the narrow implant is made of.
- How long the planned implant model has been studied.
General information about dental implants. Treatment decisions are made with a licensed dentist.
Sources
- Altuna P et al. Clinical evidence on titanium-zirconium dental implants: systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- U.S. FDA: Dental Implants, What You Should Know. fda.gov
- Jung RE et al. Group 1 ITI Consensus Report: implant length, design and medications. Clin Oral Implants Res 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
