Evaluation of Postoperative Effects of Using Ozonated Water as an Irrigant on Soft and Hard Tissues Surrounding Dental Implants: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Aim To evaluate the short-term and long-term postoperative effects of ozonated water when used as an irrigant in terms of postoperative pain, healing, and implant stability when compared to normal saline irrigation during implant surgery, both carried out using conventional drilling protocol. Methods A total of 34 implants were placed in 17 patients, two implants in each patient, one implant using normal saline as an irrigant and another one using ozonated water as an irrigant during the surgical procedure of implant site osteotomy. Postoperative pain was assessed after 48 hours of the surgical procedure using the visual analog scale (VAS). Soft tissue healing was assessed after eight days using the tissue healing index. Osseointegration was checked by measuring the primary stability at the moment of implant placement and comparing it to the secondary stability measured three months after the implant placement. These stability values (ISQ) were obtained using resonance frequency analysis (RFA). Results The VAS scores for the control group (Group A) after 48 hours were 71.76±5.57 and for the experimental group (Group B) after 48 hours were 47.64±5.33 so mean values in the experimental group were significantly lower as compared to that in the control group (p<0.001). The mean healing index score for the control group (Group A) was 3.35±0.49 and the mean healing index score for the experimental group (Group B) was 4.64±0.49 so the mean values of tissue healing index in the experimental group were significantly higher as compared to that in the control group (p<0.001). The increase in stability value over the period of three months is 5.83 ISQ in the control group while the increase in stability value over the period of three months is 7.06 ISQ in the experimental group. The difference although not statistically significant shows a slight increase in stability in the experimental group as compared to that of the control group. Conclusion Ozone water irrigation at implant site osteotomy reduced postoperative pain and accelerated the tissue wound healing but the significant effect on osseointegration could not be determined.