Dental implant treatment is an excellent option for prosthetic restoration that is associated with high success rates. Implant stability is essential for a good outcome. The clinical assessment of osseointegration is based on mechanical stability rather than histological criteria, considering primary stability (absence of mobility in bone bed after implant insertion) and secondary stability (bone formation and remodelling at implant-bone interface). The aim of this study was to review the literature on Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) as a method for measuring dental implant stability. An online search of various databases was conducted on experimental and clinical research published between 1996 and 2008. The studies reviewed demonstrate the usefulness of RFA as a non-invasive method to assess implant stability. Further research is required to determine whether this system is also capable of measuring the degree of dental implant osseointegration.

Background and objective Primary stability (PS) is remarkable for secondary stability and implant success. Surgical technique modifications seem to improve primary stability, especially in poor quality bone. The aim of this study was to compare the insertion torque (IT) and implant stability quotients (ISQ) of implants placed with underpreparation, expanders, and standard surgical instrumentation in different bone types. Material and methods This randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled 108 patients (n=108 implants) distributed in three study groups: group 1 (n=36) underpreparation technique, group 2 (n=36) expander technique, and group 3 (n=36) conventional drilling. IT was recorded with a torque indicator. ISQ was recorded with resonance frequency analysis immediately after surgery. Results ISQ values were associated with the patient’s bone quality and were higher in bone quality type II (76.65) and type III (73.60) and lower in bone quality type IV (67.34), with statistically significant differences (p<0.0001). Lower stability results were obtained when conventional drilling (69.31) was used compared to the use of underpreparation (74.29) or expanders (73.99) with a level of significance of p=0.008 and p=0.005, respectively. Conclusions The surgical technique influences the PS when there is low-quality bone. In low-quality bones, conventional drilling obtains lower ISQ values. Clinical relevance Replace the conventional drilling technique for an alternative, underpreparation or expanders, in low-quality bone in order to achieve greater primary stability.

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