
Osseointegration is not enough
In the 1980s and 1990s, at a time when the initial euphoria surrounding titanium implants began to die down in the face of surging peri-implantitis cases (primarily associated with titanium implants), it became apparent that a mere focus on osseointegration as well as a limited view of what dental implants should do for the long-term health of edentulous patients was not enough. Against this background, the healing concept of Bio-Integration has been gaining popularity in recent years.
Bio-Integration means the complete and sustainable healthy connection of a dental implant with all surrounding tissues – including the soft tissues. Today, scientists worldwide agree that the soft tissue around dental implants plays a central role in preventing bacterial infections, peri-implant inflammation, and maintaining the overall health of implant patients. With the Patent™ Dental Implant System, the innovative dental implant manufacturer Zircon Medical Management has embraced a technology that has become synonymous with the concept of Bio-Integration.
What is Bio-Integration?
Bio-integration is defined as "the bonding of living tissue to the surface of a biomaterial or implant.” Unlike osseointegration, which focuses only on the healing into the bone, Bio-Integration is achieved only when all surrounding tissues bond to the implant.

Stable bone and soft-tissue levels
The fact that stable bone levels and healthy soft tissue conditions (which are key to the long-term success of implant restorations) are found around inserted Patent™ Implants even after a functional period of more than 9 years, among other things, thanks to the tight Soft Tissue Seal, was impressively demonstrated in a prospective long-term study conducted by Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf.[1] In view of the impressive long-term results of his study on two-piece Patent™ Implants, lead study author Prof. Jürgen Becker confirms: "The 30 inserted Patent™ Implants included in this study showed stable marginal bone levels and healthy soft-tissue conditions even after 9 years of wear."

No subgingival micro-gap
Furthermore, unlike many conventional implant systems, the two-piece Patent™ Dental Implant System is not screw-retained. Rather, its prosthetic connection is realized via a metal-free, innovative glass fiber post, which is inserted into the patented 3C connection of the implant, cemented, prepared, and prosthetically restored like a natural tooth. Thanks to this 100% gap-free design, the risk of subgingival plaque colonization is significantly reduced. The highly stable glass fiber post, having dentine-like properties, attenuates the masticatory forces within the context of definitive restoration.
Highly rough endosteal surface
In addition, the Patent™ Implant surface is hydrophilic and attracts autologous blood to a particularly high degree. As a result, a fibrin network begins to attach to the surface of the Patent™ Implant within minutes after insertion, initiating rapid and successful bone formation in the sense of contact osteogenesis.


"Based on my experience with more than 10 different zirconia implants, I can say that the Patent™ Dental Implant System achieves Bio-Integration success that is second to none."
References
2. Lee D-J, Ryo J-S, Shimono M, Lee K-W Lee J-M, Jung H-S: Differential healing patterns of mucosal seal on zirconia and titanium implants. Front. Physiol. 10:796. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00796
3. Brüll F, van Winkelhoff AJ, Cune MS. Zirconia dental implants: a clinical, radiographic, and microbiologic evaluation up to 3 years. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2014 Jul-Aug;29(4):914-20. doi: 10.11607/jomi.3293
4. Becker J, John G, Becker K, Mainusch S, Diedrichs G, Schwarz F. Clinical performance of two-piece zirconium implants in the posterior mandible and maxilla: a prospective cohort study over 2 years. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 28, 2017, 29–35. doi: 10.1111/clr.12610
5. Kajiwara N, Masaki C, Mukaibo T, Kondo Y, Nakamoto T, Hosokawa R. Soft tissue biological response to zirconia and metal implant abutments compared with natural tooth: microcirculation monitoring as a novel bioindicator. Implant Dent. 2015 Feb;24(1):37-41. doi: 10.1097/ID.0000000000000167.PMID: 25290282
6. Roehling S, Astasov-Frauenhoffer M, Hauser-Gerspach I, Braissant O, Woelfler H, Waltimo T, Kniha H, Gahlert M.J In Vitro Biofilm Formation on Titanium and Zirconia Implant Surfaces. Periodontol. 2017 Mar;88(3):298-307. doi: 10.1902/jop.2016.160245. Epub 2016 Oct 7.PMID: 27712464
7. Grimm WD, Giesenhagen B, Vukovic MA, Fritsch T. Osseointegration von Zirkoniumdioxid- und Titanimplantaten. Eine histologische Untersuchung im Vergleich. Implantologie Journal. 2017/11:14-18.