Soft tissue healing at titanium implants coated with type I collagen. An experimental study in dogs

Objective: To analyse the soft tissue healing at titanium implants coated with type 1 collagen. Materials and methods: Six dogs were used. The mandibular pre-molars and the three anterior maxillary pre-molars were extracted. Three months later mucoperiosteal flaps were raised and two test and two control implants were installed (3i((R)) TG Osseotite((R))3.75 x 10 and 2.8 mm transmucosal collar). The test implants were coated with a purified porcine type I collagen. Cover screws were placed and flaps were sutured. The sutures were removed 2 weeks later and a plaque-control programme was initiated. Another 2 weeks later, the procedure was repeated in the contra-lateral mandibular region. Four weeks after the second implant surgery, biopsies were obtained and prepared for histological examination. Results/Conclusion: The vertical dimensions of the epithelial and connective tissue components as well as the composition of the connective tissue portion facing the implant were similar at collagen-coated and uncoated implants after 4 and 8 weeks of healing. It is suggested that soft tissue healing to implants coated with type I collagen was similar to that at non-coated titanium implants and that no adverse reactions to the collagen-coated implants occurred.