Internal and Marginal Fit and Fracture Strength of Narrow Diameter Dental Implant-Abutment Assembly

The aim of this study was to assess the internal and vertical marginal fit of metallic copings to abutments and the fracture strength of different narrow diameter dental implant/abutments, either submitted to thermomechanical cycling or not. Sixty-four implant/abutments (n=16) were divided into 4 groups according to diameter and abutment type: G3.5-UAC (morse taper implant Ø3.5mm + universal abutment with beveled chamfer finish); G2.9-UAS (morse taper implant Ø2.9mm + universal abutment with shoulder finish); G2.8-AA (morse taper friction implant Ø2.8mm + anatomical abutment) and G2.5-HP (one-piece implant Ø2.5mm with indexed hexagonal platform). Each group was divided into two subgroups (n=8): submitted and not submitted to thermomechanical cycling (TMC). To assess internal and vertical marginal fit of metallic copings, the assemblies were scanned using microtomography (micro-CT) (n=5). The samples were subjected to the compressive strength test on a universal test machine. Group G3.5-UAC showed the highest marginal misfit regardless of TMC (p<0.05). All other groups were similar after TMC. Group G2.8-AA showed the lowest internal misfit both with and without TMC (p<0.05). Group G2.8-AA showed the highest fracture strength, similar only to G2.5-HP without TMC and G3.5-UAC with TMC. The type of abutment affects the internal and marginal fit of metallic copings and the anatomical abutment led to the best internal and marginal coping fit. The narrow diameter dental implant/abutments differ in terms of fracture strength, the strongest assembly was that composed by implant of type V grade titanium without internal threads (friction implant).