Is it safe to reuse dental implant healing abutments sterilized and serviced by dealers of dental implant manufacturers? An in vitro sterility analysis.

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to investigate the sterility of used healing abutments sterilized and serviced by dealers of dental implant manufacturers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty used but sterilized healing abutments in sealed sterilization pouches were obtained from 6 manufacturers unaware of the study design and equally grouped from A to F. The sterilization pouches were examined for perforation. The driver slots and screw grooves of healing abutments were examined for calculus and scratches under a ×5 LED magnifying lamp, without opening the pouches. Each abutment was immersed in brain heart infusion broth in test tubes and incubated.

RESULTS

Macroscopic observation of 57 healing abutments revealed dirty screw grooves (10.5%) and partially filled driver slots (5.2%). None of the group C, E, and F samples showed turbidity. Penicillium variabile was morphologically identified in 3 abutments of group A. Enterococcus faecalis and E faecium were detected in 1 abutment each of groups B and D, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Reuse of healing abutments can be cost effective in dental practice. However, used abutments sterilized and serviced by dental implant dealers might be a source of cross-infection. They should therefore be cleaned and resterilized before reuse as a precaution.