Comparison of Plaque Accumulation Between Titanium and PEEK Healing Abutments

Abstract

Titanium (Ti) is considered the gold standard material for provisional implant restorations. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a polymeric thermoplastic material, has been progressively used in prosthetic, restorative, and implant dentistry. Recently, PEEK has been used in implant dentistry as a provisional implant restoration. Plaque accumulation and biofilm formation become the major concerns when infection and inflammation occur in the peri-implant tissue. Few reports were studied regarding the biofilm formation on the PEEK surface. This study aimed to compare plaque accumulation between the PEEK and Ti healing abutments. In an in vitro setting, the Ti healing abutment and PEEK healing abutment were subjected to biofilm formation; the result was collected after 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 7 days. Biofilms were studied following staining with crystal violet. The data were analyzed by Two-Way ANOVA. It was found that between Ti healing abutment and PEEK healing abutment materials, the biofilm formation on the PEEK surface is slightly higher than Ti, but no statistical difference (p > 0.05) was found. The results suggested that plaque accumulation between the Ti healing abutment and the PEEK healing abutment was not different. We concluded that the plaque accumulation on the surface PEEK healing abutment was similar to the conventional Ti healing abutment materials. Hence, both the PEEK and Ti healing abutments can be used as a healing abutment biomaterial according to the requirements of the prostheses in implant dentistry.

Keywords

• dental implant
• implant prostheses
• healing abutment
• poly-ether-ether-ketone
• polyetheretherketone
• PEEK