Objectives: The present study aims to compare the drilling protocol effect on osseointegration event in three commercially available titanium dental implants with different drill protocol using a rabbit tibia model.
Materials and methods: Three different drilling sequences were compared as follows: drilling sequence using a single unique drill of 4.2 mm conical implant (Group 1), drilling sequence using 3 consecutive cylindrical drills for a 4.1 mm cylindrical implant (Group 2), and drilling sequence using 3 consecutive conical drills for a 4.3 mm conical implant (Group 3). For each group, 18 drilling procedures and implant placements were performed, totalizing 54 commercially available titanium dental implants. The samples were removed 6 weeks after implantation. Resonance frequency analyses (RFA) were performed immediately after the implantation, and at 6 weeks removal torque test (RTt) and histological analysis were performed.
Results: The RFA measured showed statistical difference between the groups in time 1 and no significant statistical differences in time 2 (p > 0.05). In the RTt no significant difference was found between the 3 groups tested. Histomorphometric analysis showed no significant difference between groups in the bone-to-implant contact% (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: In the present preclinical study, osteotomy using a single bur did not show differences regarding the proposed and evaluated tests parameters for assessing the peri-implant behavior.