Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Plasma surface activation of dental implants has been proposed to enhance osseointegration by improving titanium surface chemistry. However, clinical data in humans remain limited. This randomized controlled clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effect of vacuum plasma treatment applied to titanium implants immediately prior to insertion on their stability pattern during the early phases of healing in human subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this single-blind, split-mouth randomized controlled trial, 24 patients requiring two contralateral implants were enrolled. Each patient received one plasma-treated implant and one untreated control implant. Vacuum plasma activation was performed immediately before insertion using a specific system (Plasma X(®) Motion - MegaGen Implant Co., Ltd.). Implant stability was assessed at placement and at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 60, and 90 days using resonance frequency analysis (implant stability quotient [ISQ]). RESULTS: All 48 implants achieved osseointegration at 90 days, with no adverse events or complications. Mean insertion torque did not differ significantly between groups (P = 0.86). Both groups exhibited a typical initial reduction in stability, with the lowest ISQ values at 21 days. Plasma-treated implants showed a more favourable recovery pattern, with significantly higher ISQ values than controls at 60 and 90 days (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). The absolute difference in ISQ values between groups remained limited. CONCLUSIONS: Vacuum plasma activation of titanium implants may contribute to a more favourable early stability pattern, although both plasma-treated and untreated implants demonstrated predictable osseointegration outcomes. Further research with larger cohorts and longer follow-up is needed to assess the clinical significance of these findings.