Evaluation of reused orthodontic mini- implants on stability: An in-vivo study

Abstract

Introduction: During treatment, some patients may need to change the location of mini-implants (MIs). This study investigated the stability of MIs relocated to another position in the same patient using the periotest and torque device. Methods: Twenty-nine MIs were applied randomly to 1 side of the maxillary region, and torque and periotest values were recorded. The patients were followed-up at 4-week intervals, and periotest measurements were performed at each session. After recording the torque and periotest values in the fourth session, the MIs were removed. After applying the appropriate sterilization procedure, the same MIs were relocated to the contralateral side of the patients' jaw, and distalization was achieved using a similar procedure for the group of as-received MIs. Results: Negative correlations were obtained between the torque meter and periotest data for both MI groups. We observed no significant effect of the MI group on periotest mea-surements (P>0.05). The effect of the MI group on torque values and the interaction effect of the MI group and torque values were not statistically significant (P >0.05). Conclusions: It is possible to achieve similar stability values with as-received and retrieved MIs when appropriate cleaning and sterilization protocols are performed.