The effect of drilling speed on early bone healing to oral implants

Objective. This study evaluated the effect of drilling speed on early bone healing in dog tibiae. Study Design. Thirty-six implants (4.0-mm diameter x 10-mm length) were placed in the proximal tibiae of 6 beagles with drilling speeds of 100, 500, and 1000 rpm, and insertion torque was recorded. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone area fraction occupancy (BAFO) were evaluated. Results. Significant increase from 1 to 3 weeks was observed for all groups for BIC, whereas no significant differences between 1 and 3 weeks were detected for the 100- and 500-rpm groups for BAFO (P > .34 and P > .46, respectively). A significant difference from 1 to 3 weeks was observed for the 1000-rpm group (P < .03). The 100- and 500-rpm groups presented significantly higher BAFO than the 1000-rpm group at 1 week (P = .002). Conclusions. Drilling speed is one of the decisive factors for early osseointegration, and overall, drilling at 1000 rpm seemed to yield the strongest biologic responses.