RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the radiation doses in mucosa and bone close to the surface of different dental implant materials. METHODS: Radiation dose was measured at the interface of bone or soft tissue and various implant materials for 6 MV photons generated by a medical linear accelerator using a phantom and ultrathin thermoluminescent dosemeters. RESULTS: Increasing thickness of implant materials resulted in a dose decrease in bone immediately behind the implants. Directly in front of titanium implants, dose increases of 18.2% and 30.4% were found in bone and soft tissue, respectively, independent of implant thickness and surface structure (polished/plasma coated). Even a titanium coating with 70 microm hydroxyapatite did not affect the scattering dose. In contrast, for aluminium oxide ceramics, a scatter-induced notable dose increase could not be assessed. CONCLUSIONS: During irradiation with high-energy photons, an implant-induced dose enhancement could be reduced in bone using the technique of multiple fields and in soft tissue using ceramic abutments.