In vitro evaluation of thermomechanic coupling in conical implant-to-abutment joint.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the use of thermomechanic abutment-to-implant coupling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten 3.5 x 1 mm commercially pure titanium Ankylos implants (Dentsply Friadent, Mannheim, Germany) and 10 standard abutment of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V were used in the present study. All fixtures were mounted on hold specimen provided of a 10-ohm electrical resistance to maintain the fixture at 37 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C during the entire test and to evaluate the influence of the coefficient of thermal expansion on joined conical abutment. The threading part of all abutments was cut off using a diamond disc. All abutment implants were coupled at 35 N using a universal testing machine (Lloyd 30K, Lloyd Instruments Ltd. Segensworth, UK). Five abutments were heated at 37 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C, whereas the reaming were cooled at 0 degrees C +/- 3 degrees C before connection. To measure the difference a pull-out test was performed. RESULTS: The results were statistically analyzed using unpaired t test at P < 0.05. The cooled specimens showed a result (mean +/- SD) of 421.6 +/- 55.20 N, whereas for heated specimens the result was 238.4 +/- 42.27 N. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The thermomechanic coupling significantly increases the performance of the conical joint.