Stress releasing effect of tissue conditioning materials for interim dentures after implant installation

PURPOSE: The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of the thickness and its longitudinal change within the limited denture space on the stress releasing effect for installed implants during the healing period of a two-stage procedure. METHODS: As for the tissue conditioning material, Tissue Conditioner (Shofu, Kyoto, Japan) with the designated powder liquid ratio was used. The force transmitted to the implant with the material 5 min after the mixing was measured by a miniature pressure sensor in the position of the implant head (Kyowa, Tokyo, Japan). Measurements were repeated with the material preserved in the water for one and two weeks. Load of 2 kg was applied with a 3-mm diameter round tip using a static loading machine for 2 min to the center of the flat type denture model. The model consisted of denture, mucosa, tissue conditioning material and implant where the first three variables were changed as in the oral cavity. Influence of thickness of each variable was examined longitudinally. RESULTS: Force measured with any thickness of tissue conditioning material was smaller than that without the material. The stress releasing effect did not change with change of the longitudinal material property up to two weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of our study, it was suggested that the stress releasing effect of the tissue conditioning material for the installed implant was not influenced by the thickness or change of longitudinal property.