Influence of Placement Depth on Bone Remodeling Around Tapered Internal Connection Implant: A Clinical and Radiographic Study in Dogs

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of placement depth on bone remodeling around implants with two different types of tapered internal implant-abutment interface (IAI): tapped-in (TI) tapered internal IAI and screwed-in (SI) tapered internal IAI in dogs. Methods: The second, third, and fourth premolars and the first molar in mandibles of six beagle dogs were extracted. After 8 weeks, two SI implants and two TI implants were placed in one side of the mandible. There were four experimental groups: 1) SI placed crestally (SIC); 2) TI placed crestally (TIC); 3) SI placed 1.5 mm subcrestally (SIS); and 4) TI placed 1.5 mm subcrestally (TIS). Healing abutments were connected 12 weeks after implant surgery. Implants and teeth were brushed every second day during the healing period. Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at 4, 10, and 16 weeks after second-stage surgery. Results: Differences between SI and TI implants inserted in the same vertical position were not significant for pen-implant probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), or bone resorption (P>0.05). Subcrestal placement of both implants had greater PD and CAL compared to crestal groups. However, distance from IAI to the first bone-implant contact was lower in subcrestal groups compared to crestal groups (1.27 +/- 0.42 mm for SIC versus 0.46 +/- 0.26 mm for SIS, P<0.05; 1.36 +/- 0.31 mm for TIC versus 0.78 +/- 0.42 mm for TIS, P<0.05). Conclusions: Tapered internal IAI configuration had no significant effect on crestal bone resorption. Moreover, subcrestal placement of tapered internal IAI had a positive impact on crestal bone preservation around the cervix of the implant. J Periodontot 2012;83:1164-1171.