Search Results (4)

This study aimed to analyze the influence of multiple uses of zirconia implant drills on their cutting performance and bending strength. The hypothesis was that drill usage and sterilization cycles would not affect drilling time or flexural strength. Sixty zirconia twist drills from Z-Systems were used to drill in the angulus mandibulae region of fresh porcine jaws. The drills were divided into four groups based on the cycle count, and the drilling time was measured. Bending strength tests were conducted using a universal testing machine, and statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA tests. The results showed that drilling times followed a normal distribution, and significant differences were observed in drilling times between group 1 and the other groups for the pilot drill. However, no significant differences were found for ø3.75 mm and ø4.25 mm drills, and drilling times also varied significantly among different drill diameters, regardless of the cycle count. Flexural strength did not significantly differ among drill diameters or sterilization cycles. Overall, using and sterilizing zirconia implant drills had no significant impact on drilling time or flexural strength. Nevertheless, drilling times did vary depending on the diameter of the drill. These findings provide valuable insights into the performance and durability of zirconia implant drills, contributing to the optimization of dental implant procedures. Full article

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate effects on stainless steel (SS) and zirconia implant drills of 50 cycles of sterilization through different processes. Methods: A total of 24 SS and 24 zirconia drills were treated with 3 different sterilization processes: 50 cycles of immersion in glutaraldehyde 2%, 50 cycles in 6% hydrogen peroxide and 50 cycles of heat. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was used to compare the effect of the different treatments compared to new untreated controls. Infrared thermography was used to measure the increase of temperature during drilling on bone ribs. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to measure the roughness of the samples. Results: Zirconia drills seem not to be affected by the different treatments; no significant differences were found with EDX nor through thermography controls. SS drills were affected by the different treatments, as confirmed by the increased roughness of the SS samples after all the cycles of sterilization/disinfection, measured at SEM. On the contrary, the zirconia drills roughness was not particularly affected by the chemical and thermal cycles. Significant differences were observed regarding the temperature, between steel and zirconia drills (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The disinfection agents had a weak impact on the temperature changes during implant bone preparation, while heat sterilization processes had no effect on either of the drills evaluated. The disinfection agents increased the roughness of the steel drills, while they had no effect on the zirconia drills. Full article

Background: The heat produced during implant site osteotomy can potentially interfere with and influence the osseointegration process of a dental implant. The objective of this in vitro investigation was to measure the temperature changes during simulated osteotomies in bovine rib bone. The measurements were made at the apical area of the osteotomies with steel implant drills compared to zirconia implant drills. Methods: Steel cylindrical drills (2 mm) and zirconia cylindrical drills (2 mm) were evaluated in vitro using bovine rib bone for a total of five groups based on the number of osteotomies performed with each drill: 10, 20, 40, 90, or 120 osteotomies. Bone and apical drill temperatures were measured by means of infrared thermography. The drilling time for each osteotomy was measured for each preparation. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the temperature measurements in the bone and apical portion of the drills between the study groups (p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed for drilling time preparation between steel cylindrical drill (2 mm) and zirconia cylindrical drills (2 mm) (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The drill material has an impact on the temperature changes that occur at its apical portion during bone preparation for implant placement. Full article

Background: Drills are an indispensable tool for dental implant surgery. Today, there are ceramic zirconium dioxide and metal alloy drills available. Osteotomy drills are critical instruments since they come in contact with blood and saliva. Furthermore, they are reusable and should be cleaned and sterilized between uses. Depending on the material, sterilizing agents and protocols can alter the surface and sharpness of implant drills. The hypothesis is that cleaning and sterilization procedures can affect the surface structure of the drills and consequently reduce their cutting efficiency. Methods: Eighteen zirconia ceramic drills and eighteen metal alloy drills were evaluated. Within the scope of this study, the drills were not used to prepare implant sites. They were immersed for 10 min in human blood taken from volunteer subjects and then separately exposed to 50 cycles of cleansing with 6% hydrogen peroxide, cold sterilization with glutaraldehyde 2%, and autoclave heat sterilization. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) microanalysis were conducted before and after each cycle and was used to evaluate the drill surfaces for alterations. Results: After exposure to the cleansing agents used in this study, alterations were seen in the steel drills compared to zirconia. Conclusions: The chemical sterilization products used in this study cause corrosion of the metal drills and reduce their sharpness. It was observed that the cycles of steam sterilization did not affect any of the drills. Zirconia drill surfaces remained stable. Full article