Can resonance frequency analysis detect narrow marginal bone defects around dental implants? An ex vivo animal pilot study

BACKGROUND: Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) is applied to assess implant stability, as expressed by the implant stability quotient (ISQ). This study aimed to investigate the potential of RFA devices to identify narrow marginal bone defects around implants. METHODS: Twenty-eight Straumann bone level (BL) implants and 28 bone level tapered (BLT) implants were placed ex vivo in porcine ribs. Implants in the control group (A) were fully submerged in the bone. In three experimental groups, implants were placed with a 0.9-mm circumferential marginal bone defect extending 2 mm (B), 4 mm (C) and 6 mm (D) apically. Two RFA devices were used to measure implant stability. RESULTS: ISQ values decreased as the defects' depth increased, with the greatest reduction observed between full bone (A) and 2-mm defects (B) (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found in the ISQ values recorded from BL and BLT implants. CONCLUSIONS: ISQ values can effectively detect narrow, intrabony marginal bone defects, in particular when involving the first coronal 2 mm. This finding could have implications for the early diagnosis of conditions affecting the marginal bone, such as peri-implantitis. Further research is required to investigate if such findings can be replicated after osseointegration is achieved.