Parameters of resonance frequency measurement values: a retrospective study of 385 ITI dental implants.
OBJECTIVE
There is no proven clinical tool to evaluate the amount of osseointegration and stability around dental implants. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate resonance frequency analysis values of 385 ITI solid screw implants.


METHODS
Both at implant placement and after healing, implant stability quotients (ISQs) were determined. For statistical analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficients, Welch's two-sample t-tests and paired samples t-tests were computed at a level of significance of alpha=0.05.


RESULTS
ISQ values ranged from 39 to 86 at implant placement and from 35 to 89 after healing, showing a significant increase. The highest ISQ values at both stages were obtained in the posterior mandible (P < or = 0.002). After healing, ISQ values in the anterior mandible were significantly higher than in the anterior maxilla (P=0.005). Implant length had a significant influence on ISQ in the anterior mandible (P=0) at insertion and in the anterior (P=0.005) and posterior mandible (P=0.036) after healing. Implant diameter and ISQ at insertion correlated in the anterior mandible (P=0.037). After healing, a significant influence was found for all regions, except the posterior maxilla (P=0.795). With the exception of the anterior maxilla (P=0.542), ISQ at placement had a significant influence on ISQ after healing. In the anterior maxilla (P=0.002) and in the posterior mandible (P=0.007), healing time significantly influenced ISQ after healing.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that only repeated ISQ measurements of a specific implant have some diagnostic benefit, although the parameters influencing the absolute values still remain unclear.
Karl
Matthias
M
Department of Prosthodontics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. karl_matthias@web.de
Graef
Friedrich
F
Heckmann
Siegfried
S
Krafft
Tim
T
D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D016348:Osseointegration; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014732:Vibration
D015921:Dental Implants