Required minimum primary stability and torque values for immediate loading of mini dental implants: an experimental study in nonviable bovine femoral bone

Immediate loading of implants decreases the period a patient has to remain edentulous. However, for successful immediate loading in clinical practice, a strong initial fixation with bone is a prerequisite. In the present study, it is aimed to measure the primary stability, minimum placement, and removal torque values of mini dental implants which were originally designed for immediate loading. Therefore, mini dental implants ( 10, 13, 15, and 18 mm length and 1.8 and 2.4 mm diameter) were inserted into nonviable femoral bovine bone with a physiodispenser which can show the torque values digitally. After the implants were inserted, the primary stability values were measured with Periotest. Then the implants were removed from the bone using the same physiodispenser and the removal torque values of the implants were measured. Finally, 3 related tables were created, which show the match of the 3 different values ( primary stability, placement, and removal torque) for each implant. The best Periotest values are -8 to +9, which reveal the best primary fixation range. In the tables, placement and removal torque values that correspond to this range are observed. In conclusion, it is believed that the results will aid the dentists in their decision for the selection of the Periotest value ranges and their related placement and removal torque values to decide for immediate loading of the mini dental implants. Mini dental implants, which are especially designed for immediate loading, can only be loaded immediately if their Periotest values ( and their related placement and removal torque values) are measured to be between the range of -8 to +9. It is believed that the placement and removal torque values below the -8 to +9 Periotest range are not suitable for immediate loading procedure. Because this study concentrates only on experimental results, further clinical research is needed to be made in order to draw more definite conclusions about immediate loading of the mini dental implants.