Histological,histomorphometrical, and radiological evaluation of an experimental implant design with a high insertion torque

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare bone behaviour around an experimental implant design with a high insertion torque with the Astra‐Tech^© implant (control). Materials and methods: In ten 18‐month‐old male minipigs, the last premolars and first molars were extracted to provide space for two implants in each quadrant. A first set of 40 implants were placed 3 months after the extraction and 40 additional implants were installed another 2 months later. The animals were sacrificed 3 months after the first implant installation so that half of the implants had healed for 1 month and the other half for 3 months. Radiological evaluation was performed at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after implant installation. Bone defect depth and area, bone level changes, bone‐to‐implant contact density, and peri‐implant bone fraction were measured histomorphometrically. Results: Radiological analyses revealed a significantly higher bone loss around the experimental implants. Histomorphometric analyses confirmed significantly more bone loss, larger marginal bone defects, and a lower overall peri‐implant bone fraction around the experimental implants. Conclusion: The experimental implant design caused significantly more peri‐implant bone loss compared with the control implant. As strain gauge measurements indicate excessive marginal strains around the experimental implants, osseocompression might have played a role in the observed marginal bone loss. To cite this article:
Duyck J, Corpas L, Vermeiren S, Ogawa T, Quirynen M, Vandamme K, Jacobs R, Naert I. Histological, histomorphometrical, and radiological evaluation of an experimental implant design with a high insertion torque.
Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21 , 2010; 877–884.