In vitro studies on the effect of cleaning methods on different implant surfaces

THE EFFECT OF SPECIFIC CLEANING PROCEDURES was examined on the surfaces of 3 implant types with different coatings and shapes (plasma sprayed [PS]; hy droxyapatite coated [HA] implants; and smooth titanium surface screws) usin g a scanning electron microscope. Each implant was treated for 60 seconds p er instrument with one of 6 different hygiene measures: plastic curet, meta l curet, diamond polishing device, ultrasonic scaler, air-powder-water spra y with sodium hydrocarbonate solution, and chlorhexidine 0.1% solution rins e. The air-powder-abrasive system, chlorhexidine rinse, and curettage with a plastic instrument caused little or no surface damage in all but the hydr oxyapatite-coated fixtures. Therefore, these 3 methods were tested to deter mine their cleaning efficacy in a second clinical study, which did not incl ude the HA-coated fixture. Two implants were placed on the facial aspects o f both upper molar regions using individual acrylic plates. Thus, 2 fixture s on each side were examined in each patient. The examination revealed that only the sodium hydrocarbonate spray yielded a clean fixture without damag e to the implant surface. In a third stage, which imitated the clinical pro cedure of the second approach, the cell growth of mouse-fibroblasts on impl ant surfaces was examined after cleaning the surface with plastic scaler an d the air-abrasive system, which represents the least damaging and most eff ective methods. In contrast to the implant surfaces treated with plastic sc alers, mostly vital cells were found on implants sprayed with the air-abras ive system.