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Implant Patient GuideIndependent information on Straumann® implant treatment

Comparison

Bone-level vs tissue-level implants

Every Straumann implant is either bone level or tissue level. It is a design philosophy about where the implant–abutment join sits, not a quality ranking.

What actually differs
  • The join between implant and abutment sits at bone level or above it.
  • Reviews of connection design show differences in marginal bone changes, not clear differences in survival.1

FeatureBone levelTissue level
Concept
Where the implant ends At the level of the boneIts collar rises through the gum
Straumann examples BLX, BLC, Bone Level, Bone Level Tapered23TLX, TLC, Tissue Level (Standard, Standard Plus)45

Highlighted rows differ. A design difference is not evidence that one implant gives better results for you. No scores and no winner. The choice is a clinical and restorative decision.

What research says

Systematic review

Reviews of implant–abutment connections found differences between connection designs in marginal bone changes, while implant survival did not clearly differ. 61

Tissue level vs bone level illustration
Clinical review pending. Facts on this page are checked against the sources listed below (regulatory records, manufacturer documents, peer-reviewed research). A named clinician will review it before we call it medically reviewed.
Last updated 28 Sep 2026 · How we review

Sources

  1. Systematic reviewSchoenbaum TR et al. Implant-abutment connections and marginal bone: systematic review of 45,347 implants — Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants, 2023. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.
  2. Manufacturer documentationStraumann iEXCEL™ system (product page) — Institut Straumann AG. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.
  3. Regulatory recordFDA 510(k) K140878 — Straumann Bone Level Tapered Implant — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2014-08-20. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.
  4. Regulatory recordFDA 510(k) K200586 — Straumann TLX Implant System (510(k) summary) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020-08-20. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.
  5. Regulatory recordFDA 510(k) K230108 — Straumann BLC and TLC Implants (510(k) summary) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2023-09-14. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.
  6. Systematic reviewCamps-Font O et al. External, internal flat-to-flat and conical connections: systematic review and network meta-analysis — J Prosthet Dent, 2023. Accessed 28 Sep 2026.

Clinical assessment

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