Does milling one-piece titanium dental implants induce osteocyte and osteoclast changes?

Area of Science:

• Oral Implantology
• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Research

Background:

• One-piece dental implants offer an alternative to traditional two-piece implants, potentially avoiding complications at the implant-abutment interface.
• In situ milling of one-piece implants may generate heat, raising concerns about adverse effects on bone cells and potential crestal bone loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of in situ milling heat on cellular apoptosis and osteoclastogenesis at the bone-implant interface.
• To assess the safety of intraoral abutment preparations on bone cells in a preclinical model.

Main Methods:

• Twelve one-piece dental implants were placed in ovine metaphyses.
• Six implants underwent in situ milling, while six remained intact.
• Bone samples were analyzed for osteocyte and osteoclast populations around the implant cervical region after four days.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in osteocyte apoptosis or osteoclastogenesis was observed between milled and unmilled implants.
• The heat generated during intraoral abutment preparation did not induce significant cellular apoptosis at the bone-implant interface within four days.
• Morphometric analysis showed comparable cell counts in both cortical and trabecular bone near the implant cervical region for both groups.

Conclusions:

• Intraoral milling of one-piece dental implants does not appear to cause detrimental thermal effects on bone cells in the short term.
• The findings suggest that in situ milling is a viable procedure for one-piece dental implants without compromising the immediate bone-implant interface in the ovine model.