Evaluation on the movement of endosseous titanium implants under continuous orthodontic forces: an experimental study in the dog.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the movement of pure titanium implants under different continuous forces in the edentulous alveolar ridge. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four pairs of titanium implants were inserted into the right maxillary and mandibular post-extraction edentulous ridge of the experimental dog. Three different levels of continuous force (100, 200, and 500 g) were loaded onto three pairs of adjacent implant abutments using a memory Ni-Ti coil spring for up to 6 months and the remaining two implant abutments as the control group received no force. The positions of implant abutments were observed and the distances between the implants abutment at the top, middle and base levels were measured at the 0th, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 8th month of the follow-up period. RESULTS: There was no significant change in the distances between adjacent abutments loaded with 100 or 200 g continuous forces throughout the entire study period. However, significantly more movement of implant abutments was noted in the 500 g pair after the 3rd month of loading when compared with the 200 or the 100 g pair (both P < 0.001). This change further increased at the 6th month (P < 0.001, 0.01, respectively). Moreover, the difference in the measurements at the top, middle and base level indicated that the two adjacent implants moved in a tipping manner in the 500 g pair after 3 and 6 months of loading. CONCLUSION: The osseointegrated implants remained stable and rigid with a pulling force of 100 and 200 g after 6 months of loading. However, when the force reached 500 g, the implants moved in an inward-tipping pattern. The results suggested that endosseous titanium implants might not necessarily be rigid anchorages under all circumstances.