Role of single photon emission computerised tomography in evaluating osseointegration of indigenous DRDO implants: An in vivo study

A study of first indigenous titanium dental implant developed by DRDO was undertaken at INMAS, Delhi. The aim was to establish the time taken for osseointegration, along with objectives to define the time of implant loading and compare the osseointegration of indigenous dental implants with already established dental implant systems. 21 subjects rehabilitated using 39 indigenous dental implants were evaluated by bone SPECT before implantation and at regular intervals towards establishing the aim and objectives. The rise followed by fall in Osteoblastic activity indicates the postoperative physiologic changes, which peaked at 2 weeks (mean) post-implantation and falls off to pre-implantation levels in 12 weeks (mean) indicating completion of osseointegration, healing and time of loading. It can be summarized that the Osteoblastic activity of indigenous dental implants completes within three months, which can be taken as the time required for complete healing/osseointegration and loading the implants. On comparison with the available data of already established implants the figures appear similar, indicating indigenous implants to be similar in biologic behaviour.