The Effects of Defect Type and Depth, and Measurement Direction on the Implant Stability Quotient Value

Area of Science:

• Oral surgery
• Biomaterials science
• Dental implantology

Background:

• Assessing dental implant stability is crucial for successful osseointegration.
• Peri-implant bone defects can compromise implant stability.
• Understanding factors influencing stability is essential for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of bone defect characteristics (type, depth) and measurement direction on dental implant stability.
• To investigate implant stability in an ex vivo bovine rib bone model with controlled defects.

Main Methods:

• Created six defect types (3-wall, 1-wall, circumferential) at two depths (2.5 mm, 5 mm) in bovine ribs.
• Placed standardized dental implants (4 × 10 mm) into defects and control sites.
• Measured cortical bone thickness, insertion torque, and implant stability quotient (ISQ) from multiple directions.

Main Results:

• Insertion torque decreased with increasing defect size.
• Implant stability quotient (ISQ) values decreased significantly with larger defect sizes (P < .001).
• Cortical bone loss reduced implant stability and ISQ values; measurement direction also influenced ISQ.

Conclusions:

• Defect type and depth significantly influence dental implant stability.
• Loss of cortical bone negatively affects implant stability and ISQ.
• Measurement direction can impact ISQ readings, particularly in larger defects.