Identification of bone quality in conjunction with insertion of titanium implants. A pilot study in jaw autopsy specimens.

Ten autopsy jaw specimens (6 mandibles, 4 maxillae) were used for cutting resistance measurements during low-speed threading. Overall, 31 sites were analyzed where implants were inserted into threaded canals. Bone area measurements were performed around the implants as described previously. The cutting resistance values together with the total bone area values were found to be higher in mandibles than in maxillae, and a tendency towards higher values was seen in incisor regions compared with premolar regions. Furthermore, an intraindividual comparison between the true cutting resistance and the bone density values of prepared sites showed a statistically significant correlation. The method with cutting resistance measurements for evaluation of bone quality seems therefore to be reliable, at least when used in human autopsy jaw bone specimens.