In Vitro Analysis of Cross-Contamination and Disinfection Methods of Prosthetic Components Coming from Laboratories

The customization and handling of implant abutments in prosthetic laboratories can lead to microbial contamination, requiring disinfection before clinical use. This study evaluated cross-contamination in abutments from three prosthetic laboratories, identifying microorganisms and assessing the disinfection efficacy of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (2% CL) and ultraviolet C (UV-C) radiation. Sixty abutments were analyzed, with contamination detected in 83%, predominantly Enterococcus faecalis (34.2%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (17.8%). Post-disinfection, CFU reduction was 92% (UV-C) and 93% (CL), confirmed by the Wilcoxon test (Z = −4.373; p < 0.001). A comparative analysis using the Kruskal–Wallis test showed no significant difference between the two methods (p > 0.05). These findings confirm that both UV-C and CL effectively reduce microbial load, providing reliable disinfection protocols for clinical practice.