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Updated: May 22, 2026
An Improved Mechanical Testing Method to Assess Bone-implant Anchorage
Published on: February 10, 2014
Effect of immediate functional loading on osseointegration of implants used for single tooth replacement. A human
Mauro Donati1, Daniele Botticelli, Vincenzo La Scala
1Department of Periodontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. mauro.donati@odontologi.gu.se
Objective:
To analyze hard tissue reactions to immediate functionally loaded single implants that were installed either with a conventional drill preparation procedure or with an osteotome preparation technique.
Materials And Methods:
Thirteen subjects with two sites requiring single tooth rehabilitation by means of implants volunteered for the study. Each subject received one test (immediate functionally loaded) and one control (non-loaded) implant. In six subjects (group 1) the implants were placed using a conventional drilling procedure, whereas in the remaining seven subjects (group 2) an osteotome preparation procedure was performed. Block biopsies containing test and control implants and peri-implant bone tissues were collected at 1 month in four of the subjects in group 1 and in five subjects of group 2. The remaining implant sites were sampled at 3 months after implant placement. The biopsies were prepared for histological examination.
Results:
Two implants of the test-2 group (osteotome preparation) representing 1 month of healing and another test-2 implant representing 3 months of healing failed to integrate. A multilevel multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that no differences in bone-to-implant contact (BIC)% were found in between test and control implants, the density of newly formed peri-implant bone was significantly higher around test than control implants at 1 and 3 months of healing. Sections representing osteotome technique sites showed fractured trabeculae and large amounts of bone particles.
Conclusions:
It is suggested that immediate loading of implants does not influence the osseointegration process, whereas the density of newly formed peri-implant bone at such sites appears to be increased in relation to unloaded control implants. The use of an osteotome preparation technique during installation results in damage of peri-implant bone and enhances the risk for failure in osseointegration.
