title: Osseoperception: active tactile sensibility of osseointegrated dental implants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The phenomenon of developing a certain tactile sensibility through osseointegrated dental implants is called osseoperception. Active tactile sensibility can be tested by having the subject bite on test bodies. The aim of the study was to describe the active tactile sensibility of single-tooth implants based on the 50% value and the slope of the sensibility curve at the 50% value.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two subjects with single-tooth implants with natural opposing teeth were included in the study. In a computer-assisted and randomized way, copper foils of varying thickness (0 to 200 Μm) were placed inter?occlusally between the single-tooth implant and the natural opposing tooth, and the active tactile perception was studied according to the psychophysical method of constant stimuli and statistically evaluated by logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tactile perception of the implants at the 50% value estimated by logistic regression was 20.2 ± 10.9 Μm on average, and the slope was 29 ± 15. Regarding implant surface structure, significant differences were observed. The sandblasted and acid-etched surface was significantly more sensitive than the titanium plasma-sprayed surface, and the machined surface was similar to the titanium plasma-sprayed surface.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active tactile sensibility of implants with natural antagonistic teeth is very similar to that of teeth, but the slope of the tactile sensibility curve is flatter. Significant differences in tactile sensibility as a function of different implant surfaces may indicate that receptors near the implant form the basis of osseoperception.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Bern, Switzerland. norbert.enkling@zmk.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enkling
authors.forename: Karl Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Utz
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: Regina Mericske
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001732:Bite Force; D003442:Crowns; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D011601:Psychophysics; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013499:Surface Properties; D020390:Tooth Socket / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D055698:Touch Perception / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys