What is the primary mechanism by which dental implants achieve long-term stability in bone?

• A. Fibrointegration
• B. Biointegration
• C. Osseointegration
• D. Osteogenesis

Answer: (C)

Osseointegration is the direct, structural and functional bond between living bone and the implant surface, producing a rigid, load-bearing interface. This process lets bone grow onto and attach to the titanium implant so there is no intervening fibrous tissue, which is what creates long-term stability under function. The result is a stable anchor that can withstand chewing forces as the surrounding bone remodels and adapts over time.

Fibrous tissue at the interface (fibrointegration) would permit movement and eventual loosening, so it does not provide the desired stability. Biointegration is a broader idea of tissue integrating with a material, but the specific mechanism dental implants rely on to achieve durable stability is the direct bone-implant bond described by osseointegration. Osteogenesis refers to bone formation in general and does not by itself describe the necessary direct attachment of bone to the implant surface.