Accuracy of cone beam computed tomography is limited at implant sites with a thin buccal bone : A laboratory study

• Background: To evaluate whether buccal bone thickness (BBT), implant diameter, and abutment/crown material influence the accuracy of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to determine the buccal bone level at titanium implants.Methods: Two implant beds (i.e., narrow and standard diameter) were prepared in each of 36 porcine bone blocks. The implant beds were positioned at a variable distance from the buccal bone surface, thus resulting in 3 BBT groups (i.e., > 0.5-1.0; > 1.0-1.5; > 1.5-2.0 mm). In half of the blocks, a buccal bone dehiscence of random extent ("depth") was created and implants were mounted with different abutment/crown material (i.e., titanium abutments with a metal-ceramic crown and zirconia abutments with an all-ceramic zirconia crown). The distance from the implant shoulder to the buccal bone crest was measured on cross-sectional CBCT images and compared to the direct measurements at the bone blocks.Results: While abutment/crown material and implant diameter had no effect on the detection accuracy of the buccal bone level at dental implants in CBCT scans, BBT had a significant effect. Specifically, when BBT was ≤ 1.0 mm, a dehiscence was often diagnosed although not present, i.e., the sensitivity was high (95.8%), but the specificity (12.5%) and the detection accuracy (54.2%) were low. Further, the average measurement error of the distance from the implant shoulder to the buccal bone crest was 1.6 mm.Conclusions: Based on the present laboratory study, BBT has a major impact on the correct diagnosis of the buccal bone level at dental titanium implants in CBCT images; in cases where the buccal bone is ≤ 1 mm thick, detection of the buccal bone level is largely inaccurate. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Odontologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dentistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

alveolar process

cone-beam computed tomography

dental implants

titanium

zirconium

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