Quasi-static strength and fractography analysis of two dental implants manufactured by direct metal laser sintering.

BACKGROUND: New manufacturing methods was developed to improve the tissues integration with the titanium alloy pieces. OBJECTIVE: The present in vitro study was to assess the resistance and fracture mode after applied a quasi-static compressive force on the two dental implants manufactured by direct metal laser sintering. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty dental implants manufactured by direct metal laser sintering, using titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) granules in two designs (n = 10 per group): Conventional dental implant (group Imp1) two-piece implant design, where the surgical implant and prosthetic abutment are two separate components and, the one-piece implant (group Imp2), where the surgical implant and prosthetic abutment are one integral piece. All samples were subjected to quasi-static loading at a 30 degrees angle to the implant axis in a universal testing machine. RESULTS: The mean fracture strengths were 1269.2 +/- 128.8 N for the group Imp1 and, 1259.5 +/- 115.1 N for the group Imp2, without statistical differences (P = .8722). In both groups, the fracture surface does not present crack between the compact core and the superficial (less dense and porous) part of the implants. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the measured resistance data for the two implant models manufactured by direct metal laser sintering tested in the present study, we can suggest that they have adequate capacity to withstand the masticatory loads.