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Plasma of Argon Cleaning on Implant Abutments: 5-year Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Effect of Plasma of Argon Cleaning on Implant Abutments in Patients With a History of Periodontal Disease and Thin Biotype: Five Years Post-loading Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02552810
Enrollment
30
Registered
2015-09-17
Start date
2010-01-31
Completion date
2015-09-30
Last updated
2016-06-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Alveolar Bone Loss, Endosseous Dental Implant Failure

Brief summary

Contamination of implant abutments could potentially influence the peri-implant tissue inflammatory response. The aim of the present study was to assess the radiographic bone changes around customized, platform switched, abutments placed according to the one-abutment-one-time protocol, with and without plasma of argon cleaning treatment.

Detailed description

After technical procedures, presence of contaminants (mostly Titanium wear micro-particles, Carbon and Aluminum traces due to lubricant used during customization) on the whole abutment surface, the internal connection and the screw can be found, even after the usually cleaning steps (steaming). Such debris, present at titanium/connective-bone tissues interface (gingival portion of the abutment), could directly or indirectly deleteriously influence the inflammatory response on the peri-implant tissues. Plasma of Argon cleaning treatment was demonstrated to have a double effect on titanium abutments: removal of pollutions following customization and increase of cell adhesion. Additionally, Plasma of Argon demonstrated very potent anti-biofilm activity. This prospective, match paired, triple-blinded randomized controlled trial was aimed to test if plasma treatment of customized abutments can affect radiographic peri-implant marginal bone level changes after 5 years of prosthetic loading.

Interventions

DEVICESteam clean

Control group: dental implant abutments underwent cleaning by steam (VAP 1, Zhermark, Cologne, Germany), performed for 5 seconds at 4 megapascal (MPa).

DEVICEPlasma of Argon

Test group: dental implant underwent argon plasma treatment in a plasma reactor (Diener Electronic, Jettingen, Germany). The treatment conditions were 75 W of power and 1 bar of pressure for 12 minutes.

Sponsors

University of Valencia
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients aged 18 years or older, previously treated for periodontal disease according to a comprehensive treatment strategy,25 requiring a single implant-supported restoration in the anterior maxilla or premolar region with the presence of mesial and distal tooth. * Bone crest allowing the insertion of a 4 mm platform implant without further bone augmentation procedures and with thin (≤ 1 mm) gingival biotype, measured by previously reported protocol.

Exclusion criteria

* no relevant medical conditions; * non-smoker or smoking ≤ 10 cigarettes/day; * plaque Index and bleeding on probing ≤ 25 %; * impossibility of follow-up for 5 years after prosthetic loading; * pregnant and lactating patients; * patients with a history of bisphosphonate therapy; * presence of sites with acute infections.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Success Rate of the Implants and Prostheses (Participants).During all the follow-up (5 years)An implant was considered a failure if it presented any mobility, assessed by tapping or rocking the implant head with the metallic handles of two instruments, and/or any signs of radiolucency, progressive marginal bone loss or infection, and any mechanical complications (e.g. implant fracture) rendering the implant unusable, though still mechanically stable in the bone. This was evaluated on an intraoral radiograph taken with a paralleling technique strictly perpendicular to the implant-bone interface. The implant stability was assessed at initial loading and following 3 years of application, with the prostheses removed. A prosthesis was considered a failure if it needed to be replaced by an alternative prosthesis.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Any Biological or Technical Complications.During all the follow-up (5 years)Complications: any biological (pain, swelling, suppuration, etc) and/or mechanical complications (fracture of the framework and/or the veneering material, screw loosening, etc) were considered.
Peri-implant Marginal Bone Level Changes (Express in mm).At 5 years.At the time of loading with the provisional crown (T0), periapical standardized digital or analogical radiographs were taken in order to control the perfect adaptation of the abutment on the implant and control peri-implant bone level. The customized film holder was made using an hard silicone on the bite of film holders (Rinn XCP; Dentsply Rinn, Elgin, IL, USA) and the parallel technique was used. Radiographs were also taken at 12 (T1), 24 (T2), 48 (T4), and 60 months (T5) after the final restoration delivery, to evaluate marginal bone level changes.
Esthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.At 5 years.A customized millimeter tubular support (stent) was placed temporarily around each dental implant. For each site, mesial and distal soft tissue dimensions (papilla height, PH), and buccal peri-implant mucosa dimension at the zenith (REC) were measured, and reported in millimeters. Two measurements were recorded. The first at definitive crown delivery (baseline), and the second at the 5 years follow-up examination. Changes in PH and REC were reported in millimeters as the difference between values recorded at the 5-year follow-up and the baseline. The full procedure was published in: Canullo L, Iurlaro G, Iannello G. Double-blind randomized controlled trial study on post-extraction immediately restored implants using the switching platform concept: soft tissue response. Preliminary report. Clinical Oral Implants Research \[Internet\]. 2009 Apr;20(4):414-20.
Percentage of Patients With Plaque IndexAt 5 years.Modified Plaque Index (mPI) was evaluated as the amount of plaque at the cervical part of the implant-supported crown, scored by running a probe along the implant-supported crown surface. Measured as Yes or Not.
Percentage of Patients With Bleeding on ProbingAt 5 years.Presence of bleeding within 10 seconds after probing. Measured as Yes or Not.

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Eligible patients who met the inclusion criteria were asked to participate and were enrolled in consecutive order between January and September 2010 at the Department of Oral Surgery, University of Valencia.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Test Group
Test group abutments, after milled, polished and cleaned for 30s in the same laboratory, underwent argon plasma treatment (75 W of power and -10 MPa of pressure for 12 minutes at room temperature) in a plasma reactor8 located in the same clinic but in a different room. All the abutments were then handed to the clinician in a sterile envelope, without the possibility to evaluate the treatment undergone.
15
Control Group
Control group were cleaned by steam for 30s 7 by the dental technician in the laboratory located in the same clinic, but in a different room, immediately before delivering to the clinician. Then all the abutments were then handed to the clinician in a sterile envelope, without the possibility to evaluate the treatment undergone.
15
Total30

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTest GroupControl GroupTotal
Age, Continuous56.3 years60.1 years58.4 years
Region of Enrollment
Spain
15 participants15 participants30 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants7 Participants12 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants8 Participants18 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 150 / 15
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 150 / 15

Outcome results

Primary

Success Rate of the Implants and Prostheses (Participants).

An implant was considered a failure if it presented any mobility, assessed by tapping or rocking the implant head with the metallic handles of two instruments, and/or any signs of radiolucency, progressive marginal bone loss or infection, and any mechanical complications (e.g. implant fracture) rendering the implant unusable, though still mechanically stable in the bone. This was evaluated on an intraoral radiograph taken with a paralleling technique strictly perpendicular to the implant-bone interface. The implant stability was assessed at initial loading and following 3 years of application, with the prostheses removed. A prosthesis was considered a failure if it needed to be replaced by an alternative prosthesis.

Time frame: During all the follow-up (5 years)

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Plasma of ArgonSuccess Rate of the Implants and Prostheses (Participants).100 percentage of participants
Steam CleanSuccess Rate of the Implants and Prostheses (Participants).100 percentage of participants
p-value: <0.05Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary

Any Biological or Technical Complications.

Complications: any biological (pain, swelling, suppuration, etc) and/or mechanical complications (fracture of the framework and/or the veneering material, screw loosening, etc) were considered.

Time frame: During all the follow-up (5 years)

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Plasma of ArgonAny Biological or Technical Complications.0 participants
Steam CleanAny Biological or Technical Complications.0 participants
Secondary

Esthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.

A customized millimeter tubular support (stent) was placed temporarily around each dental implant. For each site, mesial and distal soft tissue dimensions (papilla height, PH), and buccal peri-implant mucosa dimension at the zenith (REC) were measured, and reported in millimeters. Two measurements were recorded. The first at definitive crown delivery (baseline), and the second at the 5 years follow-up examination. Changes in PH and REC were reported in millimeters as the difference between values recorded at the 5-year follow-up and the baseline. The full procedure was published in: Canullo L, Iurlaro G, Iannello G. Double-blind randomized controlled trial study on post-extraction immediately restored implants using the switching platform concept: soft tissue response. Preliminary report. Clinical Oral Implants Research \[Internet\]. 2009 Apr;20(4):414-20.

Time frame: At 5 years.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Plasma of ArgonEsthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.PH0.48 mmStandard Deviation 0.4
Plasma of ArgonEsthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.REC0.58 mmStandard Deviation 0.66
Steam CleanEsthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.PH0.39 mmStandard Deviation 0.31
Steam CleanEsthetic Parameters Measured as the Changes in Mesial and Distal Papilla Height (PH) and Buccal Peri-implant Mucosa Changes at the Zenith (REC), Expressed in mm.REC0.22 mmStandard Deviation 0.35
Secondary

Percentage of Patients With Bleeding on Probing

Presence of bleeding within 10 seconds after probing. Measured as Yes or Not.

Time frame: At 5 years.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Plasma of ArgonPercentage of Patients With Bleeding on Probing6.6 percentage of participants
Steam CleanPercentage of Patients With Bleeding on Probing20 percentage of participants
Secondary

Percentage of Patients With Plaque Index

Modified Plaque Index (mPI) was evaluated as the amount of plaque at the cervical part of the implant-supported crown, scored by running a probe along the implant-supported crown surface. Measured as Yes or Not.

Time frame: At 5 years.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Plasma of ArgonPercentage of Patients With Plaque Index13.3 percentage of participants
Steam CleanPercentage of Patients With Plaque Index13.3 percentage of participants
Secondary

Peri-implant Marginal Bone Level Changes (Express in mm).

At the time of loading with the provisional crown (T0), periapical standardized digital or analogical radiographs were taken in order to control the perfect adaptation of the abutment on the implant and control peri-implant bone level. The customized film holder was made using an hard silicone on the bite of film holders (Rinn XCP; Dentsply Rinn, Elgin, IL, USA) and the parallel technique was used. Radiographs were also taken at 12 (T1), 24 (T2), 48 (T4), and 60 months (T5) after the final restoration delivery, to evaluate marginal bone level changes.

Time frame: At 5 years.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Plasma of ArgonPeri-implant Marginal Bone Level Changes (Express in mm).0.21 mmStandard Deviation 0.21
Steam CleanPeri-implant Marginal Bone Level Changes (Express in mm).0.65 mmStandard Deviation 0.36

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026