These are the flagship tapered bone-level implants of the two oldest names in modern implantology, aimed at the same soft-bone and immediate-placement cases. They differ in how they gain stability and in their connections, and neither is the general-purpose winner the two brands are often assumed to be fighting over.
Side by side
Rows appear only where at least one side has data. Where a value is not verified we say
so rather than leaving it blank.
Attribute
NobelActive
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Current status
Current. NobelActive is listed in the Nobel Biocare implant catalogue with 56 options.Manufacturer-reported[1][2]
Current. Straumann publishes a Bone Level Tapered Basic Information document revised January 2025.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Implant level
Insufficient evidence(Checked the NobelActive TiUnite/TiUltra instructions for use (IFU1001 000 05) and the two conical connection product overviews (86168B and 81657F) in addition to the Nobel Biocare product page. None of them uses the words "bone level" or "tissue level" about NobelActive; the IFU describes it only as an endosseous threaded implant. Nobel Biocare states elsewhere that it offers both bone- and tissue-level implants but does not assign NobelActive to either category in the documents reviewed.)
Bone level. Straumann states the rough surface extends to the top of the implant and the connection is shifted inwards.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Body geometry
Expanding tapered body which Nobel Biocare states condenses bone gradually during insertion, with reverse cutting blades that allow the implant position to be adjusted during placement.Manufacturer-reported[2]
Cylindrical coronal portion with an apically tapered, self-cutting body. The tapered section measures 3.9 mm at 11° on the ∅ 2.9 mm implant, 5.3 mm at 9° on ∅ 3.3 and ∅ 4.1 mm, and 5.8 mm at 9° on ∅ 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Material
Commercially pure titanium grade 4. The instructions for use give the composition as titanium balanced with max. 0.50 wt.% iron, max. 0.40 wt.% oxygen, max. 0.08 wt.% carbon, max. 0.05 wt.% nitrogen and max. 0.015 wt.% hydrogen, and state that the TiUltra variant is additionally layered with a water-soluble salt mixture of sodium dihydrogen phosphate and magnesium chloride. The co-packed cover screw is Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy.Manufacturer-reported[3]
Roxolid with the SLActive or SLA surface, or titanium with an SLA surface. The ∅ 2.9 mm implant is not offered in titanium.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Surface
TiUltra, introduced in 2019; also offered historically with the TiUnite surface.Manufacturer-reported[2]
Internal conical connection. Nobel Biocare groups NobelActive under the "Internal Conical Connection" filter in its implant catalogue.Manufacturer-reported[1][4]
CrossFit — a 15° conical-cylindrical connection with four internal grooves. Small CrossFit (SC, ∅ 2.3 mm) on ∅ 2.9 mm implants, Narrow CrossFit (NC, ∅ 2.8 mm) on ∅ 3.3 mm, and Regular CrossFit (RC, ∅ 3.3 mm) on ∅ 4.1 and ∅ 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5][6]
Platform switching
Nobel Biocare describes "enhanced platform shifting" for the NobelActive S variant but publishes no dimension for it on the pages reviewed.Manufacturer-reported[2]
The prosthetic platform is narrower than the endosteal diameter throughout the range — ∅ 2.8 mm platform on a ∅ 2.9 mm implant, ∅ 3.1 on ∅ 3.3, ∅ 3.7 on ∅ 4.1 and ∅ 4.4 on ∅ 4.8 — and the connection is shifted inwards.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Available diameters
NobelActive TiUltra is catalogued in ∅ 3.0, 3.5, 4.3, 5.0 and 5.5 mm.Manufacturer-reported[4]
Endosteal diameter ∅ 2.9, 3.3, 4.1 and 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Available lengths
∅ 3.0 mm: 10–13 mm. ∅ 3.5, 4.3 and 5.0 mm: 8.5–18 mm. ∅ 5.5 mm: 7–15 mm. Nobel Biocare notes that the actual implant length is 0.5 mm shorter than the length in the product name.Manufacturer-reported[4]
10–14 mm for the ∅ 2.9 mm implant; 8–18 mm for ∅ 3.3, 4.1 and 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Narrow implant option
Not publicly verified
The ∅ 2.9 mm SC implant is described as a small-diameter implant for central and lateral incisors in the mandible and lateral incisors in the maxilla, with a minimal ridge width of 5.0 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Current status
NobelActive
Current. NobelActive is listed in the Nobel Biocare implant catalogue with 56 options.Manufacturer-reported[1][2]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Current. Straumann publishes a Bone Level Tapered Basic Information document revised January 2025.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Implant level
NobelActive
Insufficient evidence(Checked the NobelActive TiUnite/TiUltra instructions for use (IFU1001 000 05) and the two conical connection product overviews (86168B and 81657F) in addition to the Nobel Biocare product page. None of them uses the words "bone level" or "tissue level" about NobelActive; the IFU describes it only as an endosseous threaded implant. Nobel Biocare states elsewhere that it offers both bone- and tissue-level implants but does not assign NobelActive to either category in the documents reviewed.)
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Bone level. Straumann states the rough surface extends to the top of the implant and the connection is shifted inwards.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Body geometry
NobelActive
Expanding tapered body which Nobel Biocare states condenses bone gradually during insertion, with reverse cutting blades that allow the implant position to be adjusted during placement.Manufacturer-reported[2]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Cylindrical coronal portion with an apically tapered, self-cutting body. The tapered section measures 3.9 mm at 11° on the ∅ 2.9 mm implant, 5.3 mm at 9° on ∅ 3.3 and ∅ 4.1 mm, and 5.8 mm at 9° on ∅ 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Material
NobelActive
Commercially pure titanium grade 4. The instructions for use give the composition as titanium balanced with max. 0.50 wt.% iron, max. 0.40 wt.% oxygen, max. 0.08 wt.% carbon, max. 0.05 wt.% nitrogen and max. 0.015 wt.% hydrogen, and state that the TiUltra variant is additionally layered with a water-soluble salt mixture of sodium dihydrogen phosphate and magnesium chloride. The co-packed cover screw is Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy.Manufacturer-reported[3]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Roxolid with the SLActive or SLA surface, or titanium with an SLA surface. The ∅ 2.9 mm implant is not offered in titanium.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Surface
NobelActive
TiUltra, introduced in 2019; also offered historically with the TiUnite surface.Manufacturer-reported[2]
Internal conical connection. Nobel Biocare groups NobelActive under the "Internal Conical Connection" filter in its implant catalogue.Manufacturer-reported[1][4]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
CrossFit — a 15° conical-cylindrical connection with four internal grooves. Small CrossFit (SC, ∅ 2.3 mm) on ∅ 2.9 mm implants, Narrow CrossFit (NC, ∅ 2.8 mm) on ∅ 3.3 mm, and Regular CrossFit (RC, ∅ 3.3 mm) on ∅ 4.1 and ∅ 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5][6]
Platform switching
NobelActive
Nobel Biocare describes "enhanced platform shifting" for the NobelActive S variant but publishes no dimension for it on the pages reviewed.Manufacturer-reported[2]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
The prosthetic platform is narrower than the endosteal diameter throughout the range — ∅ 2.8 mm platform on a ∅ 2.9 mm implant, ∅ 3.1 on ∅ 3.3, ∅ 3.7 on ∅ 4.1 and ∅ 4.4 on ∅ 4.8 — and the connection is shifted inwards.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Available diameters
NobelActive
NobelActive TiUltra is catalogued in ∅ 3.0, 3.5, 4.3, 5.0 and 5.5 mm.Manufacturer-reported[4]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
Endosteal diameter ∅ 2.9, 3.3, 4.1 and 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Available lengths
NobelActive
∅ 3.0 mm: 10–13 mm. ∅ 3.5, 4.3 and 5.0 mm: 8.5–18 mm. ∅ 5.5 mm: 7–15 mm. Nobel Biocare notes that the actual implant length is 0.5 mm shorter than the length in the product name.Manufacturer-reported[4]
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
10–14 mm for the ∅ 2.9 mm implant; 8–18 mm for ∅ 3.3, 4.1 and 4.8 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
Narrow implant option
NobelActive
Not publicly verified
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
The ∅ 2.9 mm SC implant is described as a small-diameter implant for central and lateral incisors in the mandible and lateral incisors in the maxilla, with a minimal ridge width of 5.0 mm.Manufacturer-reported[5]
The biggest differences
NobelActive expands into an under-prepared site with a double-lead thread and reverse cutting blades that allow re-orientation during placement. BLT is cylindrical at the crest and apically tapered with a self-cutting lower body and a constant 0.8 mm thread pitch. NobelActive is the more aggressive design; BLT gains stability from its apical taper without the same bone-condensing action.
Design
BLT is offered at 2.9, 3.3, 4.1 and 4.8 mm, including the 2.9 mm Small CrossFit implant for narrow incisor sites. NobelActive spans 3.0 to 5.5 mm. Lengths reach 18 mm on both. BLT is additionally available in commercially pure titanium as well as Roxolid, while NobelActive's substrate is not stated in the documentation we reviewed.
Prosthetic ecosystem
BLT uses CrossFit, a 15 degree conical-cylindrical connection with four internal grooves, and shares the whole Bone Level prosthetic portfolio. NobelActive uses Nobel Biocare's internal conical connection, shared with NobelParallel and NobelReplace CC. Both are large current systems, so both component ranges are well supported; the ordering risk is naming the brand without the system.
Clinical evidence
Both brands trace long lineages, but the specific products are of different vintages, so a raw comparison of how much has been published about each conflates the implant with the brand behind it. We hold no head-to-head study of the two. The reasonable position is that both are established designs from major manufacturers, and that a longer bibliography for either would not settle a clinical choice for a particular patient.
What may influence clinical selection
Where the bone is soft or the socket fresh, both were built for the job and the deciding factor is the surgeon's fluency with the specific handling — NobelActive's ability to be redirected mid-placement rewards experience and punishes its absence. Where components must be serviced years later in the UK, both are obtainable, and the connection is the fact to keep on record.
Important limitations
Our NobelActive record is database-only and omits the substrate and level, whereas the BLT record is fuller. The comparison table is therefore weighted toward the Straumann side, which reflects our sourcing rather than the two implants.
So which is better?
Neither is universally better, and any page telling you otherwise is selling something.
These are different designs with different trade-offs, and the right choice depends on the
bone available, the position in the mouth, the planned restoration, and what the treating
clinician is equipped and experienced to place and to service years from now.
That last point is easy to overlook and matters more than most specification
differences: components need to remain obtainable for as long as the implant is in place.
Regulatory record
US FDA 510(k) clearances held by each side, retrieved from the FDA's own database.
Clearances are held at brand level, so every system from the same brand shares this record.
NobelActive
via Nobel Biocare
6
FDA 510(k) clearances
1991 – 2026
Filed by Nobel Biocare AB
Straumann Bone Level Tapered
via Straumann
30
FDA 510(k) clearances
2004 – 2026
Filed by Institut Straumann AG
A clearance count is not a quality ranking, and the
larger number is not the better implant. A brand with more clearances usually
has a longer history or a broader component range. FDA "clearance" also is not FDA
"approval" — it means the device was accepted as substantially equivalent to one already
on the market, generally without a clinical trial. A blank here means we could not match
a filing with confidence, not that the brand lacks authorisation.
What these actually mean →
Sources
Numbers match the citations beside each claim above.
