Evaluation of Marginal Bone Level Change Utilizing a Simplifed DrillingVersus Conventional Drilling Techniques
Author(s): Al-Hassan Ali Naser* and Thair A Lateef Hassan
Abstract
Background: Conventional drilling technique is effective for implant site preparation but it is time consuming, especially when multiple implants are to be placed and unpleasant for the patient as the duration of the intervention may be excessively long causing discomfort. Simplifying the drilling sequence would be meaningful for implant surgery if it does not exert a negative influence. This was prospective clinical study conducted to evaluate the stability and marginal bone level change of implant placements after simplifying the drilling sequence.
Aim: Evaluation of dental implant stability and marginal bone level change using a simplified drilling approach as opposed to a traditional drilling technique.
Materials and methods: A total of 17 patients (9 females and 8 males) included in this study. The patient’s age ranged from 18-64 years with 46 bone level dental implants. These patients were divided into two groups: group A (simplified drilling approach), in which only the first and final drills were used to prepare implant sites, and group B (traditional drilling technique), in which implants were implanted sequentially. The implant stability quotient was measured both immediately and 16 weeks after the dental implant was placed. Marginal bone level evaluated 7 days of surgery to determine the marginal bone level as baseline data and 16 weeks following to the surgery utilizing con beam computed tomography.
Results: Implant stability quotient values for secondary stability of group A measured at 16 weeks after implant installation was not significantly increased as compared with the primary base line value (70.02 vs. 72.91). While, there was a significant increase in the mean of implant stability quotient values from primary to secondary stability in group B after 16 weeks (69.74 vs. 73.44).
About 16 weeks after implant installation there was no significant difference in the marginal bone level changes between the two groups. During the study's follow-up check-ups, no implant was lost, resulting in a 100% survival rate.
Conclusion: In spite of the limits of this clinical trial, both drilling techniques produced successful results over a 16 weeks post-insertion follow-up period, however, the simplified drilling technique required less surgical time without having to sacrifice implant stability and bone level during implant site preparation.
Keywords: Dental implant, Conventional drilling, Marginal bone level, Stability