An evaluation of fluid distribution at the implant site during implant placement by using a computational fluid dynamics model.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Heat reduction during implant site preparation is critical. However, studies that assess fluid distribution at the implant site by using saline irrigation as the cooling method during osteotomies are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of various parameters on fluid distribution at the implant site by using a computational fluid dynamics numerical model and thus predict the cooling effect at the drill site. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The computational fluid dynamics code Flow-3D was adopted to simulate implant site preparation. A 10-mm-deep implant site was prepared by using a 2.2-mm pilot drill, with 4 °C saline sprayed onto the drill from an external injection hole. Different drilling procedures were performed with irrigation volumes of 20, 40, 60, and 80 mL/min at various drill speeds (600, 800, 1000, 1200 rpm) and feed rates (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 mm/s), and the fluid distribution under various circumstances was respectively investigated and compared. Data were analyzed by using 1-way ANOVA or the Friedman test according to the normality of the data distribution (P>.05). RESULTS: Below the irrigation volume of 60 mL/min, the saline inside the implant site increased with the irrigation volume (P<.001), but further increase in irrigation volume to 80 mL/min had no significant influence on the fluid distribution (P>.05). The obtained fluid had an inverse relationship with the drill speed under the irrigation volumes 20 and 40 mL/min (P<.001), and deeper areas received less cooling under 20 mL/min (P<.001). However, no significant differences were observed under 60 and 80 mL/min (P>.05). In addition, the variation of feed rate had no significant effect on the mean fluid fraction for all the tested groups (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: The fluid distribution at the implant site could be affected by the irrigation volume and drill speed but was not correlated with the feed rate.