A noncontact detection technique for interfacial bone defects and osseointegration assessment surrounding dental implants

Dental implantation is popular treatment for edentulous and partially dentate patients. Effectively assessing interfacial bone defects and osseointegration requires considerable effort for successful implantation. This study presents the development of a noncontact detection technique that uses a loudspeaker and a noncontact cylindrical capacitive-type displacement sensor to measure and evaluate the severity and location of imperfections surrounding the bone–implant interface through resonance frequency (RF) analysis. To justify the effectiveness, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed. The acoustic sweep signal of a loudspeaker was used to excite models, and the vibration response signal from a displacement sensor was detected and transferred to the spectrum. The first RF values of the spectra on each model were subsequently identified and used to assess the interfacial situation. The measuring results show that the RF differences can be identified and applied to evaluate bone defects, as well as osseointegration. The proposed technique is a promising approach to aid dentists in assessing dental implant stability after surgery. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.