To examine the influence of the distance between adjacent implant osteotomies on heat accumulation in the inter-osteotomy area, two experimental groups with 15 pairs of osteotomies in Type II polyurethane blocks were compared: 7 mm inter-osteotomy separations (Group A, n = 15) and 14 mm inter-osteotomy separations (Group B, n = 15). An infrared thermographic analysis of thermal changes in the inter-osteotomy area was completed. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher post-test were used to determine group differences. Higher temperatures were recorded in Group A at the coronal and middle levels compared to the apical level in both groups. The temperature reached max temperatures at T80s and T100s. In Group A, the threshold for thermal necrosis was exceeded. Meanwhile, Group B did not reach the threshold for thermal necrosis. Preparing adjacent implant osteotomies in dense bone with a 7 mm separation between their centers increases the temperature in the inter-osteotomy area, exceeding the threshold for bone thermal necrosis; meanwhile, increasing the distance between osteotomies reduces the thermal accumulation and the risk for thermal necrosis.
Keywords: bone drilling; implant osteotomy; implant site preparation; infrared thermographic analysis.