P3C-6 Power Ultrasonics in Oral Implantology

Oral implantology is the branch of dentistry focused on reconstruction of missing teeth and their supporting structures with natural or synthetic substitutes. Conventional instruments used during oral implantation exhibit severe operation limitations, especially in presence of limited surgical access and anatomically delicate bone structures, and in proximity to soft tissues due to high risk of injury. This work illustrates the design and performance characteristics of two novel ultrasonic devices created to significantly improve the implantology process. The working frequency of both systems resides near 26 kHz while the acoustic power is modulated in line with the technical specifications of the Piezosurgeryreg Device. The first tuned device presented in the paper benefits from a planar vibration in order to drill holes in bone. The second exploits a longitudinal-flexural composite vibrational mode which greatly facilitates the insertion of the implant in the created cavity. The vibration characteristics of the proposed systems are investigated using finite element (FE) models, which are validated by experimental modal analysis (EMA) using a 3D laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Due to their operational benefits supported by clinical evidence, the ultrasonic cutting devices described in this paper are subject of two international patent applications.