Histological behaviour of zirconia implants: an experiment in rats.

New biomaterials including surface modifications should undergo in vitro and in vivo evaluation before clinical trials. The objective of our in vivo study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of one of the newly fabricated zirconia implant surfaces, called "mds". For this purpose, the osseointegration of these implants was analyzed after implantation in surgically created defects in the cranium of adult male rats.