Intraosseous Temperature Changes During Implant Site Preparation: In Vitro Comparison of Thermocouples and Infrared Thermography

Purpose: Implant-supported dental prostheses are based on the principle of osseointegration, and the success of dental implantation depends on adequate formation of this intimate bone-to-implant contact. The application of heat during the drilling procedure leads to a rise in intraosseous temperature at the prospective implant site, which may result in various complications. The purpose of the present study was to compare the ability of thermocouples and infrared thermography to detect changes in intraosseous temperature during dental implant site preparation. Materials and Methods: Standardized bovine costae bone blocks were used to simulate the cortical bone of the human mandible. Steel implant form drills with a diameter of 3.0 mm were used. Two types of irrigation systems were used (external cooling only and combined internal and external cooling). Drilling was performed at a constant speed (1,200 rpm). Changes in intraosseous temperature were evaluated using Type T Cu-CuNi thermocouples and an infrared thermography camera system at contact pressures of 5 and 20 N. Results: Infrared thermography detected significantly greater increases in intraosseous temperature (ΔT) than thermocouples for all tested combinations of cooling system and contact pressure (P ≤ .0001). Conclusion: These results suggest that thermography more accurately reflects intraosseous temperature changes during implant site preparation than thermocouples. Palabras clave: bone, drilling, implant, temperature, thermocouple, thermography