In vitro evaluation of thermomechanic coupling in conical implant-to-abutment joint.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the use of thermomechanic abutment-to-implant coupling.


METHODS
Ten 3.5 x 1 mm commercially pure titanium Ankylos implants (Dentsply Friadent, Mannheim, Germany) and 10 standard abutment of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V were used in the present study. All fixtures were mounted on hold specimen provided of a 10-ohm electrical resistance to maintain the fixture at 37 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C during the entire test and to evaluate the influence of the coefficient of thermal expansion on joined conical abutment. The threading part of all abutments was cut off using a diamond disc. All abutment implants were coupled at 35 N using a universal testing machine (Lloyd 30K, Lloyd Instruments Ltd. Segensworth, UK). Five abutments were heated at 37 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C, whereas the reaming were cooled at 0 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C before connection. To measure the difference a pull-out test was performed.


RESULTS
The results were statistically analyzed using unpaired t test at P < 0.05. The cooled specimens showed a result (mean +/- SD) of 421.6 +/- 55.20 N, whereas for heated specimens the result was 238.4 +/- 42.27 N. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The thermomechanic coupling significantly increases the performance of the conical joint.
Traini
Tonino
T
Department of Applied Sciences of Oral and Dental Diseases, School of Dentistry, University G.d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Di Iorio
Donato
D
Caputi
Sergio
S
Degidi
Marco
M
Iezzi
Giovanna
G
Piattelli
Adriano
A
D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D015921:Dental Implants