Abutment rotational freedom on five implant systems with different internal connections.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Information regarding the rotational freedom of internal connection implants is sparse.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the rotational freedom of different internal conical and internal nonconical connections.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty implants, 30 straight manufactured standard abutments, and 30 standard abutment screws were obtained for each of the 5 implant systems tested. Three implant systems had indexed internal conical connections with different antirotational geometries: hexagon (Naturall+), cam-groove (ID CAM M), and octagon (Bone Level). Two implant systems had internal nonconical connections with hexagonal antirotational geometry (Tapered Screw-Vent and Seven). The implants were mounted in a steel plate, and a metal reference arm was attached to the abutment. Before tightening the standard abutment screw, a modified torque wrench was used to rotate the abutment clockwise until reaching the clockwise rotational endpoint. This modified torque wrench was connected to the abutment's outer surface. It allowed free access to the standard abutment screw for a second torque wrench, specific to each implant system. The modified torque wrench applied a controlled torque of 5 Ncm, which held the abutment at the clockwise rotational endpoint. The standard abutment screw was then tightened to the manufacturer's specified torque value with the second torque wrench. Angle value corresponding to the clockwise endpoint was measured microscopically between a fixed reference point on the steel plate and the reference arm. The abutment was then unscrewed and removed. The same procedure was carried out to rotate the abutment counterclockwise and measure the angle value corresponding to the counterclockwise rotational endpoint. The rotational freedom was finally determined from the differences in the angles between the clockwise and counterclockwise rotational endpoints. Rotational freedom angle values were summarized as descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations). The normality test (Kolmogorov-Smirnov) was applied, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to isolate the implant system differences from each other (α=.05).

RESULTS

The lowest mean rotational freedom angles were obtained for Bone Level (conical connection, 0.17 degrees) and Tapered Screw-Vent (nonconical connection, 0.05 degrees). These systems were followed in increasing order by ID CAM M (conical connection, 0.50 degrees), Seven (nonconical connection, 1.98 degrees), and Naturall+ (conical connection, 2.49 degrees). Compared with each other, all implant systems had significant statistical differences in rotational freedom angles (P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant differences were found among the 5 implant systems. The lowest mean rotational freedom angles were obtained both with a conical connection (Bone Level) and a nonconical connection (Tapered Screw-Vent).