Effect of Titanium Base Abutment Height and Restorative Material on Torque Maintenance of Hybrid-abutment Restoration with Offset Implant Placement.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of titanium base height on torque loss of monolithic zirconia, lithium disilicate, and polymer-infiltrated ceramic hybrid- abutment restorations for offset placed implant.

Materials and methods: Forty-two hybrid- abutment restorations supported by offset placed implants (diameter: 4.2 mm; length: 10 mm) were divided into 6 groups: short titanium base and zirconia (SZ), long titanium base and zirconia (LZ), short titanium base and lithium disilicate (SE), long titanium base and lithium disilicate (LE), short titanium base and polymer-infiltrated ceramic (SP), and long titanium base and polymer-infiltrated ceramic (LP). An adhesive resin cement was used to bond the restoration to the titanium base. The restoration was secured with titanium screw tightened to 30 Ncm by using a calibrated torque meter device. The specimens were exposed to thermocycling (5000 cycles at 5°C to 55°C), then cyclic loaded (120 000 cycles/50 N/1.6 Hz), where the load was placed vertically in mesial fossa of the restoration. After the loosening torque value of the abutment screw was measured by the torque meter device, the torque loss and its percentage were calculated. Two-way ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis of the data (α=.05).

Results: The 2-way ANOVA test showed significant differences in loosening torque, torque loss and percentage of torque loss across the restorative material (P<.001), no significant difference across the height of titanium base (P=.213) and no significant interaction (P=.845) between restorative material and height of titanium base. Regarding the restoration type, 1-way ANOVA test showed significant difference (F ratio=15.95, P<.001) in torque loss between groups. The mean torque loss value with monolithic zirconia was significantly higher than with lithium disilicate (P=.039) and polymer-infiltrated ceramic (P<.001), respectively. Between the lithium disilicate and polymer-infiltrated ceramic, a significant difference (P=.013) was also found.

Conclusion: The restorative material had a major effect on the torque maintenance in hybrid-abutment-restoration supported by offset placed implant, while the titanium base abutment height had no influence on it. Compared to lithium disilicate and polymer-infiltrated ceramic materials, monolithic zirconia induced higher torque loss when used as hybrid-abutment-restoration.