Histomorphometric evaluation of a threaded, sandblasted, acid-etched implant retrieved from a human lower jaw: a case report

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to histomorphometrically evaluate the bone-to-implant contact and bone area around a titanium implant retrieved from a human lower jaw. A screw-shaped titanium implant (sandblasted and acid-etched surface) was removed from a 68-year-old male after having been in function for 40 months because of a fracture of the abutment screw. Following the implant removal, an undecalcified section was obtained. The histomorphometric analysis showed a rate of 75.40% of bone-to-implant contact and 89.30% of bone area filling within the limits of the implant threads. The surrounding bone healed in a well-organized pattern and could not be differentiated from the original alveolus. The histologic evidence showed a high degree of osseointegration in a threaded, sandblasted, and acid-etched implant retrieved from a human lower jaw after functional loading for 40 months.