Stability of dental implants with sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) and modified (SLActive) surfaces during the osseointegration period

Background. The surface properties of implants are effective factors for increasing the osseointegration and activity of osteoprogenitor cells. This study compared the stability of dental implants with sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) and modified surfaces (SLActive) using the resonance frequency analysis (RFA).

Methods. In a split-mouth design, 50 dental implants with either SLA surface properties (n=25) or modified (SLActive) surface properties (n=25) were placed in the mandibles of 12 patients with a bilateral posterior edentulous area. Implant stability was measured using RFA (Osstell) at implant placement time and every week for 1, 2, and 3 months before the conventional loading time.

Results. One week following the implantation, implant stability increased from 70 to 77.67 for SLA and from 71.67 to 79 for SLActive (P<0.05). Stability improved each week except in the 4th week in SLActive surface measurements. No significant differences were observed between the groups at 2 and 3 months (P>0.05).

Conclusions. For both implant surfaces, increased stability was observed over time, with no significant differences between the groups.