The Effects of Scaling a Titanium Implant Surface With Metal and Plastic Instruments: An in Vitro Study

TLDR

The study compared surface roughness of pure titanium implants after in‑vitro scaling with curettes of different material composition. Ten transmucosal implant extensions were divided into three experimental surfaces and a control, each receiving 30 strokes with a titanium‑alloy, stainless‑steel, or plastic curette over a 2 mm area, and surface changes were quantified by helium‑neon laser reflectance and confirmed by SEM. Metal curettes markedly increased implant surface roughness (lower RSR) relative to controls and plastic curettes, while plastic instruments produced no significant change; the titanium‑alloy curette produced greater roughness than the stainless‑steel curette. J Periodontol 1990; 61:485–490.

Abstract

T he surface roughnesses of pure titanium implants were compared after scaling in vitro with curettes of dissimilar composition. Each of 10 transmucosal implant extensions (TIEs) was divided into three experimental surfaces and an untreated control surface. The three experimental surfaces were instrumented with either a titanium‐alloy tipped curette, a curette of stainless steel, or a plastic curette. All experimental surfaces received 30 strokes with the designated curette within a 2 mm wide area. Alteration of the surfaces due to instrumentation was evaluated by a helium neon (HeNe) laser and reported as relative specular reflectance (RSR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the quantitative HeNe laser results. A significant decrease in mean RSR (greater roughness) was observed for surfaces treated by metal curettes compared to either untreated control surfaces ( P < 0.01) or surfaces treated by the plastic curette ( P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was noted between untreated surfaces and those treated by the plastic curette. The titanium‐alloy curette produced a significantly lower mean RSR (greater roughness) compared to those surfaces treated by the stainless steel curette ( P < 0.05). In summary, plastic instruments produced an insignificant alteration of the titanium implant surface following instrumentation, while metal instruments significantly altered the titanium surface. J Periodontol 1990; 61:485–490.