Primary Stability of a Hybrid Self-Tapping Implant Compared to a Cylindrical Non-Self-Tapping Implant with Respect to Drilling Protocols in an Ex Vivo Model

Background: Modifications of implant design have been intending to improve primary stability. However, little is known about investigation of a hybrid self-tapping implant on primary stability. Purposes: The aims of this study were to evaluate the primary stability of two hybrid self-tapping implants compared to one cylindrical non-self-tapping implant, and to elucidate the relevance of drilling protocols on primary stability in an ex vivo model. Materials and Methods: Two types of hybrid self-tapping implants (Straumann® Bone Level implant [BL], Straumann® Tapered Effect implant [TE]) and one type of cylindrical non-self-tapping implant (Straumann® Standard Plus implant [SP]) were investigated in the study. In porcine iliac cancellous bones, 10 implants each were inserted either using standard drilling or under-dimensioned drilling protocol. The evaluation of implant-bone interface stability was carried out by records of maximum insertion torque, the Periotest® (Siemens, Bensheim, Germany), the resonance frequency analysis (RFA), and the push-out test. Results: In each drilling group, the maximum insertion torque values of BL and TE were significantly higher than SP (p = .014 and p = .047, respectively). In each group, the Periotest values of TE were significantly lower than SP (p = .036 and p = .033, respectively). The Periotest values of BL and TE were significantly lower in the group of under-dimensioned drilling than standard drilling (p = .002 and p = .02, respectively). In the RFA, no statistical significances were found in implants between two groups and between implants in each group. In each group, the push-out values of BL and TE were significantly higher than SP (p = .006 and p = .049, respectively). Conclusion: Hybrid self-tapping implants could achieve a high primary stability which predicts them for use in low-density bone. However, there is still a debate to clarify the influence of under-dimensioned drilling on primary stability.