Iodoform and silver-coated abutments preventing bacterial leakage through the implant-abutment interfaces: In vitro analysis using molecular-based method

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an iodoform paste and silver-coated abutments in preventing the microbial colonization and leakage through the implant-abutment interface of morse taper and internal hexagon implants.

Material and methods: Seventy-two implants with morse taper (n = 36) or internal hexagon connections (n = 36) were investigated. Implants were treated with iodoform paste (n = 12), silver-coated abutments (n = 12), or control (n = 12). After saliva incubation, Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization was used to identify and quantify up to 43 microbial species colonizing the inner parts of the implants. ANOVA-Type and Wald-Type analyses of variance were used to investigate the relative effects and their interaction. Friedman- Conover test adjusted by Benjamini-Hockberg FDR were performed for pairwise multiple comparisons. Significance was set as p < 0.05.

Results: Analyses of variance indicate a significant interaction between connections, antimicrobial treatments, and species. The frequency of contamination was reduced in the implants submitted to the antimicrobial treatments. Iodoform and silver-coated abutments significantly reduced the total microbial counts in the internal hexagon implants. The lower microbial counts were recorded for morse taper implants with silver-coated abutments.

Conclusions: Iodoform paste and silver-coated abutments have influenced the microbial leakage through the implant-abutment interface, by reducing both frequency of contamination and microbial levels. Treatments were not effective in reducing the counts of the target species.

Keywords: Biomaterials; Microbiology; Prosthodontics.