A comparative biomechanical study of original and compatible titanium bases: evaluation of screw loosening and 3D-crown displacement following cyclic loading analysis

PURPOSE This study evaluated screw loosening and 3D crown displacement after cyclic loading of implant-supported incisor crowns cemented with original titanium bases or with three compatible, nonoriginal components. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 32 dental implants were divided into four groups (n = 8 each): Group 1 used original titanium bases, while Groups 2-4 used compatible components. The reverse torque value (RTV) was evaluated prior to and after cyclic loading (1,200,000 cycles). Samples (prior to and after cyclic loading) were scanned with a microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Preload and postload files were superimposed by 3D inspection software, and 3D crown displacement analysis was performed using root-mean-square (RMS) values. All datasets were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc analysis. RESULTS Significant variations were observed in the postload RTV, depending on the titanium base brand (P < .001). The mean postload RTVs were significantly higher in Groups 1 and 2 than in the other study groups. While evaluating 3D crown displacement, the lowest mean RMS value was shown in the original Group 1, with the highest RMS value occurring in Group 4. CONCLUSION Within the limitations of this in vitro study and under the implemented conditions, it was concluded that the manufacturer brand of the titanium base significantly influenced screw loosening following the fatigue test and influenced 3D crown displacement after cyclic loading.