Removal torque values tended to decrease as the number of insertion/removal cycles increased, for both groups. Comparisons of the slopes and the intercepts between groups showed no statistical difference. There was no significant difference between the mean values of last five cycles and the 11th cycle. Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it was concluded that (1) repeated insertion/removal cycles promoted gradual reduction in removal torque of screws, (2) replacing the screw with a new one after 10 cycles did not increase resistance to loosening, and (3) removal of the hexagon from the abutment base had no effect on the removal torque of the screws.

Introduction: Marginal discrepancies may lead to cement washout and marginal leakage, damaging periodontal and pulp tissues or causing premature loss of the restoration. Purpose: This study evaluated the influence of application site of provisional cement on the marginal adaptation of provisional crowns. Material and Methods: Four different application sites of provisional cement (Temp Bond NE, Kerr Corporation) were used for cementation of provisional crowns on phantom teeth prepared for full crown restorations, performing 4 experimental groups (n=10): cement applied to all internal surfaces of the crown (CAO); cement applied to all internal surfaces of the crown, except for the occlusal surface (CA); cement applied to the cervical crown margin (CM); and cement applied to the cervical tooth margin (TM). A comparison microscope (Mitutoyo America Corporation) was used to measure the distances between the internal tangents of two circular marks, one made on the provisional crown and one made apical to the tooth preparation margin, in areas corresponding to buccal, lingual, mesial and distal surfaces. Marginal adaptation was determined before and after cementation, with 0.0001-mm accuracy. Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test at 5% significance level. Results: Mean values of marginal opening obtained for each group were: CAO: 145 μm; CA: 67 μm; CM: 46 μm; TM: 34 μm. CA, CM and TM presented significantly lower marginal openings than CAO (p<0.05). Conclusion: complete filling of the crown with provisional cement, including the occlusal surface, provided grater marginal discrepancies when compared to the other methods evaluated.

ObjectivesPrevious studies that evaluated the torque needed for removing dental implant screws have not considered the manner of transfer of the occlusal loads in clinical settings. Instead, the torque used for removal was applied directly to the screw, and most of them omitted the possibility that the hexagon could limit the action of the occlusal load in the loosening of the screws. The present study proposes a method for evaluating the screw removal torque in an anti-rotational device independent way, creating an unscrewing load transfer to the entire assembly, not only to the screw.Material and methodsTwenty hexagonal abutments without the hexagon in their bases were fixed with a screw to 20 dental implants. They were divided into two groups: Group 1 used titanium screws and Group 2 used titanium screws covered with a solid lubricant. A torque of 32 Ncm was applied to the screw and then a custom-made wrench was used for rotating the abutment counterclockwise, to loosen the screw. A digital torque meter recorded the torque required to loosen the abutment.ResultsThere was a significant difference between the means of Group 1 (38.62±6.43 Ncm) and Group 2 (48.47±5.04 Ncm), with p=0.001.ConclusionThis methodology was effective in comparing unscrewing torque values of the implant-abutment junction even with a limited sample size. It confirmed a previously shown significant difference between two types of screws.

It may be concluded that bonding of Type IV plaster fragments with a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive did not cause significant dimensional alterations.

PurposeThis study aimed at evaluating the bacterial colonization in dental implants inserted in the crestal or supracrestal position and correlated it to radiographic bone measurements.MethodsThirty-five implants with regular platform in nine patients (mean age 62.4±11.2 years) were inserted either at the bone crest level (control group) or at a suprecrestal level (test group). Radiographic examination was performed at baseline (implant installation) and after 6 months. Clinical and microbiological data were collected after 6 months. Digital radiography was used to assess bone remodeling (marginal bone loss and optical alveolar density). Bacterial profile was analyzed by checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization, including a panel of 40 bacterial species.ResultsAfter 6 months, there were significantly higher counts of Actinomyces gerencseriae (p=0.009) and Streptococcus constellatus (p=0.05) in the test group. No significant differences between test and control groups were observed for marginal bone loss (p=0.725) and optical alveolar density (p=0.975). Probing depth was similar in both groups.ConclusionSignificantly higher counts of A. gerencseriae and S. constellatus were found in implants placed at the supracrestal level compared to the ones placed at the bone level. No relation was found between the installation level of dental implants and peri-implant bone remodeling.