The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of post heat treatment on HA coated implants in healing of circumferential bone defects and to compare the results with those of bone graft treatment. The results presented higher bone to implant contact in both post heat treatment group and bone graft group than no heat treatment group and the controls, with no significance between the groups. The post heat treated HA coated implants seemed to show better osseointegration with bone and produce beneficial effect in resolving the defects as comparable with bone graft treatment. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.