Measurement of gap between abutment and fixture in dental conical connection implants. A focused ion beam SEM observation

Abstract

Background The aim of the authors was to examine the abutment-fixture interface in Morse-type conical implants in order to verify gaps at this level using a new microscopical approach. Material and Methods In this in vitro study, 20 abutment-fixture complexes were prepared by sectioning (longitudinal and cross-sectional to the long axis) with a microtome and then with a focused ion beam (FIB). This is a micrometric machine tool that uses gallium ions to abrade circumscribed areas to dig deeper into the cuts obtained with the microtome in order to eliminate cut-induced artifacts. This is because the FIB abrasion is practically free from artifacts, which are normally generated by the action of the microtome blades or other techniques. Samples were then observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results The observation of the abraded parts with the FIB permitted measurement of the real gap between the implant-abutment components. A variable amount of gap was retrieved (from 0 to 3 μm) by the observations, confirming the non-hermetic nature of the connection. It has to be pointed out that in approximately 65% of cases, the gap accounted for less than 1 μm. Conclusions The reported data confirmed that the analyzed connection system allowed for minimal gap. However, from the evidence of the present analysis, it cannot be assumed that the 2 parts of a Morse-type conical implant are fused in 1 piece, which would create a perfectly matched hermetic connection. Key words: Dental abutment, dental implant, focused ion beam SEM, implant-abutment connection, morse taper, microbial leakage.

Clinical analysis of the influence of surface roughness in the primary stability and osseointegration of dental implant: Study in humans

“…There are divergences in the literature regarding the influence of the diameter and shape of the dental implant on primary stability. Researchers evaluated the primary stability of 60 implants divided into 3 groups with different geometries, and it was observed that there was no statistical difference between cylindrical implants and conical implants [13,14]. These data are relevant to the results of the present work.…”

Análise clínica da estabilidade primária e osseointegração de implantes dentários 45 e 60 dias após a cirurgia: estudo clínico

“…Os pesquisadores avaliaram a estabilidade primária de 60 implantes divididos em 3 grupos com geometrias diferentes, e observaram que não houve diferença estatística entre implantes cilíndricos e implantes cônicos. 13,14 Esses dados são relevantes para os resultados do presente trabalho. Os resultados do presente trabalho mostraram que independente do diâmetro do implante, não há diferença significativa no índice ISQ entre os dois grupos.…”