The effect of osseointegrated implants on the dento-alveolar development. A clinical and radiographic study in growing pigs.

In an attempt to study the effect of osseointegrated implants on vertical dentoalveolar development, six growing pigs of the Pigham strain were used, one of them randomly selected as a control. The test pigs received four fixtures each, three in the lower jaw and one in the upper. The fixtures were placed in areas where different patterns of the dento-alveolar development were expected. The clinical and radiographic findings have clearly shown that the implants do not behave like normal erupting teeth during the development of the dentition. Neither do the fixtures move together with the adjacent teeth, but behave more like ankylosed teeth.