The effect of drilling speed on early bone healing to oral implants.
Objective: This study evaluated the effect of drilling speed on early bone healing in dog tibiae.
Methods: Thirty-six implants (4.0-mm diameter × 10-mm length) were placed in the proximal tibiae of 6 beagles with drilling speeds of 100, 500, and 1000 rpm, and insertion torque was recorded. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone area fraction occupancy (BAFO) were evaluated.
Results: Significant increase from 1 to 3 weeks was observed for all groups for BIC, whereas no significant differences between 1 and 3 weeks were detected for the 100- and 500-rpm groups for BAFO (P > .34 and P > .46, respectively). A significant difference from 1 to 3 weeks was observed for the 1000-rpm group (P < .03). The 100- and 500-rpm groups presented significantly higher BAFO than the 1000-rpm group at 1 week (P = .002).
Conclusions: Drilling speed is one of the decisive factors for early osseointegration, and overall, drilling at 1000 rpm seemed to yield the strongest biologic responses.