Spectrometric Analysis of the Wear from Metallic and Ceramic Dental Implants following Insertion: An In Vitro Study

Titanium wear is a growing area of interest within dental implantology. This study aimed to investigate titanium and zirconium wear from dental implants at the time of insertion using X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and an in vitro protocol utilizing artificial bovine bone plates. Five groups were analyzed using XRF-spectrometry: groups 1-4 (titanium implants) and group 5 (zirconia implants). The implants were inserted into two bone blocks held together by a vice. The blocks were separated, and the insertion sites were analyzed for titanium (Ti) and zirconium (Zr). Statistical descriptive analyses of Ti and Zr concentrations in the coronal, middle and apical bone interface were performed. A comparative analysis confirmed differences between the implant's surface stability and Ti accumulation within the insertion sites of the bone block. There was a direct relationship between implant length and the quantity of titanium found on the bone block. The data generally indicates greater quantities of titanium in the coronal thirds of the implants, and less in the apical thirds. The titanium and zirconium found in the bone samples where the group 5 implants were inserted was not of statistical significance when compared to control osteotomies. The results of this study confirm wear from metallic, but not ceramic, dental implants at the time of insertion.