Handheld device for assessing dental implant osseointegration through the vibro-acoustic technique

On the basis of resonance frequency analysis, a noncontact handheld assessment device that employs the vibro-acoustic technique with acoustic excitation and displacement response sensing was developed to quantify the stability of dental implants. The assessment technique employed in the developed device is superior to the magnetic sensing technique that uses an accessory for assessment. The calculated response spectra that characterized dental-structure resonance indicated the trend of osseointegration. In vitro and in vivo tests were performed to verify the performance of the developed device. For in vitro bone block testing, in addition to two cancellous bones and two thicknesses of cortical shells, interface tissues produced using different mixing ratios of resin to hardener epoxy adhesive were used to mimic the osseointegration progress. Furthermore, preliminary animal testing was conducted on rabbits to observe implant osseointegration in live bodies. Statistical analyses for varied designed bone models on measured resonance frequency, and the regression analysis between VA and Osstell™ ISQ for in vivo testing were performed. The necessary statistical analyses on various issues were considered as well as their descriptions. The developed noncontact vibro-acoustic assessment device can be used to monitor the implant stability status without having to use a mounted accessory.