Implant-abutment connection deformation after prosthetic procedures: an in vitro study

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Implantology
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• The long-term stability of dental implant components is crucial for prosthetic success.
• Repeated mechanical stress from prosthetic component manipulation may affect implant integrity.
• Understanding potential damage to the implant-abutment interface is essential for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential damage to the internal implant connection caused by repeated disconnection and reconnection of prosthetic components.
• To quantify the three-dimensional (3D) deformation of the implant-abutment connection after multiple insertion cycles.

Main Methods:

• Titanium abutments were inserted and removed 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 times in 16 internal hexagon implants.
• A light-structured scanner was used to measure 3D positional changes of a reference abutment before and after disconnections.
• Statistical analysis was performed to correlate the number of insertions with connection deformation.

Main Results:

• Multiple disconnections and reconnections of implant components can lead to deformation of the implant-abutment connection.
• The degree of deformation was found to be proportional to the number of insertion procedures.
• Below a threshold of 10 insertion cycles, the measured 3D deformation values were minimal.

Conclusions:

• Repeated prosthetic component manipulation can induce measurable deformation in dental implant connections.
• Clinical protocols involving fewer than 10 dis/reconnection cycles may minimize the risk of significant implant-abutment connection damage.
• Further research could explore the clinical implications of minimal deformation over time.