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Oral Biofilm Formation on Different Materials for Dental Implants
Published on: June 24, 2018
Comparative Study on the Effect of Various Implant-Abutment Connections on Microbial Leakage
Aditya Acharya1, Richa Sahai2, K Anusha Ravindra3
1Department of Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge, KAHER's KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belagavi, Karnataka, India.
Background:
Microbial leakage at the implant-abutment interface can lead to peri-implantitis, jeopardizing the long-term success of dental implants. The design and type of implant-abutment connection play a significant role in minimizing this leakage.
Materials And Methods:
Thirty dental implants were divided into three groups (n = 10): group I - internal hex connection, group II - external hex connection, and group III - Morse taper connection. Each implant was inoculated with Escherichia coli bacteria and assembled under standardized torque. The assemblies were incubated for 7 days at 37°C. Microbial leakage was assessed by culturing samples from the external surfaces of each implant system on MacConkey agar. The bacterial growth was quantified by colony-forming units (CFU) analysis.
Results:
The microbial leakage was significantly different among the three groups (P < 0.05). Group II (external hex) exhibited the highest microbial leakage with an average CFU of 1.25 × 106 followed by group I (internal hex) with 6.5 × 105 CFU. Group III (Morse taper) demonstrated the least microbial leakage, with an average CFU of 1.8 × 104 The Morse taper connection showed superior sealing ability compared to the other two connections.
Conclusion:
The type of implant-abutment connection significantly affects microbial leakage. Morse taper connections exhibit the least leakage and may be preferred to improve the long-term success of dental implants. Further clinical studies are required to corroborate these findings.
