Results of the study by Prof. Dr Kohal et al. (2023): Zeramex XT successfully withstands 10 million cycles of dynamic loading and hydrothermal ageing at 85 °C
As part of an in-vitro study on the fracture strength of two-piece zirconia implants, Prof. Dr Ralf Kohal and colleagues at the Clinic for Dental Prosthetics at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg subjected 32 Zeramex XT implants with screw-retained abutments to a dynamic loading and/or hydrothermal ageing test at 85 °C in accordance with ISO 14801 in a biaxial high-temperature chewing simulator. A higher bone loss of 3 mm was simulated. The angle between the implant axis and the planned loading axis was 30 ± 2°.
All Zeramex XT implants with screw-retained abutments withstood the dynamic load test of 10 million cycles (corresponding to a clinical time frame of 12.5 to 40 years) with a load of 98 N (=54 Ncm) and hydrothermal ageing at 85 °C without visible defects on the implants/abutments and without loosening of the Vicarbo® screw.
The conclusion: hydrothermal ageing and dynamic loading had no influence on the fracture strength of the Zeramex XT implant system. The results of the study indicate that the stability of Zeramex XT is high enough to withstand normal intraoral occlusal forces in the long term.
The original article by Kohal et al. (2023) can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/14/12/567
References
Kohal RJ, Schikofski T, Adolfsson E, Vach K, Patzelt SBM, Nold J, Wemken G. Fracture Resistance of a Two-Piece Zirconia Implant System after Artificial Loading and/or Hydrothermal Aging-An In Vitro Investigation. J Funct Biomater. 2023 Dec 15;14(12):567. doi: 10.3390/jfb14120567. PMID: 38132821; PMCID: PMC10743638.
