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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate an optical solution to eliminate the undesirable shine-through effect of implants on peri-implant mucosa by selecting an optimized implant neck color based on an objective and quantifiable method. Material and methods: The optical effect of color strips on 15 peri-implant mucosal sites of 14 patients with Straumann® single-tooth implant replacements in the maxillary anterior region was analyzed. The color differences between the peri-implant mucosa with insertion of each of eight different color strips (white, black, light pink, pink, light orange, orange, gold, violet) and the gingiva of an adjacent or contralateral tooth without any color strips were compared for the selection of optimal color of implant neck. Spectrophotometric color measurements were performed to compare the color difference index (Δ E) and color coordinates (Δ L*, Δ a*, Δ b* and Δ C*). Results: The colors of the peri-implant mucosa with color strips and the gingiva of natural tooth demonstrated that the test site soft tissue with color strips of light pink, pink, light orange and orange showed a significantly smaller Δ E value ( P<0.05). Moreover, light pink exhibited the lowest mean Δ E value of 2.6±0.6, indicating a clinically indistinguishable color difference. Conclusions: The results suggest that it is possible to improve gingival esthetics by coloring the implant neck, most effectively with light pink, to mask the impact of the underlying titanium implant. The use of implants with optimized neck colors to correct an esthetic deficiency may be a feasible approach to establish improved peri-implant soft tissue esthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in optical appearance of the soft tissues labial to dental implants and to analyze the effects of titanium implant neck colors transmitted through the marginal mucosa. Materials and methods: Fourteen patients with 15 Straumann® single implant replacements in the maxillary anterior region were recruited. Color measurements of the peri-implant mucosa of test sites and the gingivae of contralateral or adjacent natural teeth as controls were made at the facial aspect of the teeth using a spectrophotometer. The color data (CIELAB color coordinates; L*, a*, b* and C*) in five incremental areas of 1 × 2 mm from the gingival margin toward the apical direction were obtained. Results: A significant difference existed ( P<0.01) between the test site and the control site on the mean L* and b* values in all five incremental areas (area 1–5). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the mean a* values. Discrepancies between color distributions of soft tissues were stronger in areas close to the gingival margin and decreased toward the apical direction. The mean color difference Δ E between the test site and the control site was 7.7 in area 1 and decreased toward area 5 with a value of 6.5. However, there was no statistical difference in each of the mean values of differences in optical data, Δ L*, Δ a* and Δ b*, when five incremental areas of the control and the test sites were compared. Conclusion: It was observed that the color of soft tissue around the titanium implant was significantly different compared with the gingiva of natural teeth. Significantly lower values of CIELAB color coordinates, L* and b* were found in the peri-implant soft tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the retention of metal copings fabricated to fit on the one-groove, one flat-sided solid titanium abutment using six different cements. Materials and methods: Ten hollow screw 3.8 mm ITI implants were mounted in acrylic resin blocks. A solid titanium abutment was placed on each implant and torqued at 35 Ncm. Prefabricated burn-out caps were placed on the titanium abutment and wax loops added to the occlusal surface to allow for subsequent retention testing. All plastic caps were embedded in phosphate-bonded investment and cast with noble alloy. Castings were inspected for surface irregularities using a stereomicroscope at 10× magnification. The six cements were: 1) eugenol-free zinc oxide (Temp Bond NE); 2) zinc-oxide eugenol (IRM); 3) zinc phosphate (Hy-Bond); 4) resin-modified glass ionomer (Protec Cem); 5) zinc polycarboxylate (Durelon) and 6) 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate resin (Panavia 21). After cementation, implant–abutment–casting assemblies were stored for 24 h in 100% humidity. Samples were subjected to a pull-out test using an Instron universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The load required to de-cement each coping was recorded and mean values for each group calculated. Means and standard deviations of loads at failure were analyzed using ANOVA and a Tukey studentized test. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: The mean values (± SD) of loads in kilograms at failure (n = 10) for the various cements were as follows: Temp Bond 3.18 ( ± 1.1) (Tukey group D), IRM 9.25 (± 3.83) (Tukey group CD), HY-Bond 10.9 (± 6.52) (Tukey group C), Protec Cem 18.98 (± 6.23) (Tukey group B), Durelon 23.55 (± 4.29) (Tukey group B) and Panavia 21, 36.53 (± 8.1) (Tukey group A). Means with the same letter in the Tukey grouping are not significantly different. Conclusions: The retention values of castings... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]