THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOME HISTOLOGIC PARAMETERS, RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATIONS, AND PERIOTEST MEASUREMENTS OF ORAL IMPLANTS - AN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL STUDY

The objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy and correlatio n between clinical and histologic parameters used to evaluate oral imp lants. after extraction of the premolars and a healing time of 4 month s in 16 Dutch goats, four Branemark implants were placed in the maxill ary left and light premolar regions, After a healing time of 6 months, followed by another 4 months with the permucosal abutments, the goats mere sacrificed and the jaws were block-resected. Before histologic p reparation, long-cone radiographs were made and Periotest scores of th e implants were recorded. Bone level measured histomorphometrically we re found to be 0.85 mm more apically, compared to that measured radiol ogically (P = .001). Furthermore, statistically significant correlatio ns (P > 0.2) were not found between the Periotest values of the calciu m-phosphate-coated and uncoated implants for (1) the first thread in c ontact with bone, or (2) with the total number of threads in contact w ith bane. It was concluded that the radiologic data overscored the rea l marginal I,one level around screw-shaped oral implants, and that the Periotest device is neither able to discriminate between the first th read nor between the total number of threads in contact with bone.