Osseoincorporation of Porous Tantalum Trabecular-Structured Metal: A Histologic and Histomorphometric Study in Humans

Porous tantalum trabecular-structured metal (PTTM) has been applied to titanium orthopedic and dental implants. This study evaluated the healing pattern of bone growth into experimental PTTM cylinders (N = 24; 3.0 × 5.0 mm) implanted in the partially edentulous jaws of 23 healthy volunteers divided into four groups. Six PTTM cylinders per group were explanted, prepared, and analyzed histologically/metrically after 2, 3, 6, and 12 weeks of submerged healing. PTTM implant osseoincorporation resulted from the formation of an osteogenic tissue network that over the course of 12 weeks resulted in vascular bone volume levels in PTTM that are comparable to clinically observed mean trabecular volumes in edentulous posterior jaws.