Comparative Evaluation of the Wear Resistance of Two Different Implant Abutment Materials after Cyclic Loading: An In Vitro Study

PURPOSE: To comparatively evaluate the wear resistance of two different implant abutment materials after cyclic loading – An in vitro study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two groups utilizing 20 Titanium implants are selected in which 10 titanium implants are connected with titanium abutments (GROUP I, n=10) and other 10 titanium implants are connected with PEEK abutments (GROUP II, n=10). Surface profilometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS) are carried out for all the abutment in both Group I(Titanium) and Group II (PEEK). Abutments are connected to implants secured in resin blocks and cyclically loaded for 550,000 cycles. After completion of cyclic loading the abutment surface at the implant-abutment interface is analysed for wear with the surface roughness (Ra) values. Results: The mean Surface roughness difference value (Ra value D1) of Group I test samples (Pre-machined Titanium straight abutments) was found to be -0.073 μm. The mean Surface roughness difference value (Ra value D2) of Group II test samples (Pre-machined PEEK straight abutments) was found to be -0.0004 μm. On comparison using independent‘t’ test, it was found that the mean difference values of pre and postcyclic loading Surface roughness (Ra value) of Group I (Pre-machined Titanium straight abutments) (-0.073 μm) was lower than the Group II test samples (Pre-machined PEEK straight abutments) (-0.0004 μm) and this was found to be statistically insignificant. (p value is 0.272). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the study the surface roughness values before and after cyclic loading of two different abutment materials revealed that the wear resistance of titanium abutments is more than that PEEK abutments but the difference in the wear resistance is statistically insignificant