Implant stability quotient and osteogenic process in dental implant sites prepared using piezoelectric technique: A study in minipigs

Purpose: Few studies have explored the bone response in dental implant sites prepared using a piezoelectric device, indicating moderate effectiveness in enhancing secondary stability and osteogenesis. This study seeks to expand our understanding of the changes in biological, clinical, and radiographic parameters, during the initial phases of osseointegration in sites prepared with piezoelectric surgery. Materials and Methods: Two implant sites were prepared in the tibia of four minipigs. At the time of implant placement (T0), bone cortex thickness and Implant Stability Quotient (ISQ) were assessed. A bone specimen was collected from the tibia and used as the baseline for biomolecular analyses. X-ray was taken after implant insertion. After 14 days (T14), a computed tomography (CT) scan of the tibias was conducted, and ISQ values were reassessed. Histological and biomolecular analyses were performed on bone sections containing the implant. Results: ISQ significantly increased from T0 to T14, in the absence of any correlation between the cortical thickness and ISQ. In two animals, CT showed a slight trabecular bone thickening adjacent to the implants and disorganized radiodense spots; in the other two, no trabecular osseodensification was evident. Newly formed bone was about 48% of the tissue around implants. At T14, an increase in osteogenic factors and a decrease in inflammatory molecules were observed. Conclusion: This study enhances understanding of the biological and clinical responses at bone implant sites following piezoelectric surgery. It highlights the relationship between the rise in certain osteogenic factors and new bone formation, as well as a potential association with increased ISQ.