Osseoincorporation of Porous Tantalum Cylinders Implanted in Human Subjects: 12-Week Interim Results

Osseoincorporation is implant anchorage via a combination of boneto-implant contact with an implant surface (bone ongrowth) and bone ingrowth into a highly porous implant surface. An ongoing clinical study is currently evaluating the osseoincorporation of Trabecular Metal* (TM) cylinders after early healing in the human jaw was 14.4%. Very little osteoclastic activity or bone resorption was observed, but bone was still maturing, especially inside the material. Mucosal epithelium penetrated one sample, but overall the presence of mesenchymal cells, bone formation activity and intense angiogenesis in all samples indicated good tissue response with developing osseoincorporation. Newly formed trabeculae with osteoid borders surrounded by osteoblasts were evident inside and on the surfaces of the vast majority of samples. Bone ingrowth into the samples primarily occurred along the lingual buccal or palatal surfaces Except for 1 sample