Effect of air polishing on surface roughness in implant abutments

This <i>in vitro</i> investigation attempts to assess how air polishing with various abrasive powders affects implant abutment surface roughness. Thirty titanium implant abutments, split into three groups of ten each, were used in this <i>in vitro</i> investigation. Powdered glycine was given to Group A, powdered sodium bicarbonate to Group B and powdered erythritol to Group C. For 20 seconds, all abutments were air polished at a pressure of 60 psi and a nozzle distance of 5 mm. A profilometer assessed the surface roughness (Ra values) before and after treatment. Implant abutments' surface roughness changed very little after air polishing with erythritol and glycine powders. Therefore, implant care is possible. Sodium bicarbonate powder, on the other hand, dramatically increased surface roughness, which would raise the possibility of biofilm formation. Consequently, it is advised to regularly clean implant abutments using glycine and erythritol.