Effects of the Healing Chambers in Implant Macrogeometry Design in a Low-Density Bone Using Conventional and Undersized Drilling

Background:

The ideal installation technique or implant macrogeometry for obtaining an adequate osseointegration in low-density bone tissue follows a challenge in the implantology.

Aims and Objective:

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the behavior of three osteotomy techniques and two implant macrogeometries in two low-density polyurethane blocks. The insertion torque (IT), initial stability, pullout resistance, and weight of the residual bone material deposited on the implants were assessed.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 120 implants with two different macrogeometries were used. They were divided into six groups according to the implant macrogeometry and the drilling technique performed (n = 20 implants per group). The implants were installed in polyurethane blocks with pounds per cubic foot (PCF) 10 and PCF 20 densities. The IT, initial stability, pullout resistance, and weight residual bone were measured.

Results:

Differences were found in the values referring to the macrogeometry of the implants and the type of osteotomy performed. In all groups, the initial stability of the PCF 10 blocks was quite low. The undersized osteotomies significantly increased the values measured in all tests in the PCF 20 density blocks.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, even when a modified (undersized) osteotomy technique is used, implants inserted in low-quality bone (type IV) can present problems for osseointegration due their low initial stability and bone resistance. However, the modification in the implant macrogeometry (with healing chambers) presented more quantity of bone on the surface after the pullout test.

Additive manufactured push-fit implant fixation with screw-strength pull out

Additive manufacturing offers exciting new possibilities for improving long-term metallic implant fixation in bone through enabling open porous structures for bony ingrowth. The aim of this research was to investigate how the technology could also improve initial fixation, a precursor to successful long-term fixation. A new barbed fixation mechanism, relying on flexible struts was proposed and manufactured as a push-fit peg. The technology was optimized using a synthetic bone model and compared with conventional press-fit peg controls tested over a range of interference fits. Optimum designs, achieving maximum pull-out force, were subsequently tested in a cadaveric femoral condyle model. The barbed fixation surface provided more than double the pull-out force for less than a third of the insertion force compared to the best performing conventional press-fit peg (p < 0.001). Indeed, it provided screw-strength pull out from a push-fit device (1,124 ± 146 N). This step change in implant fixation potential offers new capabilities for low profile, minimally invasive implant design, while providing new options to simplify surgery, allowing for one-piece push-fit components with high levels of initial stability. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research® Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 36:1508-1518, 2018.