Implantoplasty Positively Influences Biofilm Removal During Toothbrush: An In Vitro Study

To analyse the effect of implantoplasty on the efficacy of brushing dental implants.

Acrylic hemi-arches were made to simulate a horizontal bone loss condition in an implant in position 46, exposing 3 mm of its cervical intra-osseous portion. Implantoplasty was performed on the implant surfaces of the test group, and no surface modification was performed on the control group. The exposed portion of both groups was coated with carbon spray to simulate dental biofilm. Each site was analysed before and after brushing for a carbon-free area. Buccal/oral sites were brushed with toothbrushes while mesial/distal sites were brushed with interdental brushes. The analysed area consisted of a 6 mm² rectangle divided into three thirds (cervical, middle and apical) on each of the four sites.

On buccal/oral sites of the test group (implantoplasty), brushing removed an average of 43.11% of the biofilm. In contrast, on the buccal/oral sites of the control group (no implantoplasty), brushing removed 36.09% (p < 0.001). On proximal sites of both test and control groups, brushing removed an average of 32.1% and 32.29% of the biofilm, respectively (p = 0.728).

Implantoplasty positively influenced the removal of simulated biofilm on buccal/oral sites of dental implants.