The impact of different torques for the insertion of immediately loaded implants on the peri-implant levels of angiogenesis- and bone-related markers

The aim of this split-mouth, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the influence of different insertion torque values for dental implants on bone- and angiogenesis-related marker profiles. Eighteen edentulous patients received dental implants and fixed complete-arch mandibular prostheses. The implants (n = 36) were assigned randomly to two groups: reduced torque (n = 18), with insertion torque <30 N cm; and conventional torque (n = 18), with insertion torque ≥30 N cm. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor, bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP-9), periostin, osteoprotegerin (OPG), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in the peri-implant fluid were quantified at 7, 14, 30, and 120 days after implant placement. Inter-group comparisons showed that VEGF and OPG levels were higher in the low-level torque group than in the conventional torque group on days 7 and 30, respectively (P < 0.05). BMP-9 and periostin levels were higher in the conventional group than in the low-level torque group on day 120, and TRAP was up-regulated around implants inserted with conventional torque when compared to those inserted with lower-level torque at all time points evaluated (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of different levels of torque for implantation of immediately loaded implants significantly influenced the levels of bone- and angiogenesis-related markers during early peri-implant repair.