Ceramic Implants: Clinical Applications and Biological Behavior (623)

Metal alloy implants have been commercially available for more than five decades and have been proven to be reliable in the replacement of missing dentition. During the last decade and a half, there has been a steady rise in demand for highly aesthetic but also biological materials in dental implantology. As a result, load-bearing ceramics such as zirconia and its composites have been developed, improved and made commercially available. Furthermore, the demand for metal-free ceramic implants has been and continues to be primarily driven by patients. Recent trends show that more and more manufacturers are introducing or adding ceramic implants to the market and their portfolios. At the same time, clinicians are gradually introducing metal-free implants in their practices. This presentation will discuss the background, rationale for, and evolution of zirconia ceramic implants. Their clinical applications and long-term mechanical and biological behavior under function in the oral environment will be illustrated with clinical cases performed and monitored over thirteen years.