RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the differences between sand blasted, large grit and acid-etched (SLA) treated mini-implants and smooth surface orthodontic mini-implants in relation to the removal torque as well as the histologic analysis. METHODS: Custom-made, screw-shaped, titanium implants with a length of 9.5 mm and an outer diameter of 1.8 mm were divided into 2 groups; the SLA group (20 SLA treated orthodontic mini-implants) and the smooth surface group (20 smooth surface mini-implants), and placed in the tibia metaphysis of 10 rabbits. Each rabbit had 4 mini-implants placed, 2 in each tibia. The right tibia were implanted with the SLA group mini-implants and the left tibia had the smooth group mini-implants placed. Each mini-implant group were immediately applied with a continuous traction force of 150 g using a Ni-Ti coil spring. The rabbits were sacrificed 6 weeks post-surgically. Subsequently, the legs were stabilized, the Ni-Ti coil springs were removed and the mini-implants were removed under reverse torque rotation with a digital torque gauge. RESULTS: 6 weeks after placement, the SLA group presented a higher mean removal torque value (8.29 Ncm) than the smooth group (3.34 Ncm) and histologic analysis revealed a higher new bone formation aspect along the screw in the SLA group. CONCLUSION: Results of this study indicates that SLA treated mini-implants may endure higher orthodontic forces without loosening.