Abstract

This study aimed to identify, categorize, and analyze the main methods used to measure the temperature generated by implant drills during osteotomies, emphasizing their advantages, limitations, and clinical implications. A scoping review with integrative characteristics was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The search strategy included descriptors related to temperature, implant drills, and measurement techniques, applied across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO databases. Studies published between 2000 and 2025 were considered, and 20 articles met the eligibility criteria. The identified measurement methods included thermocouples, infrared thermography, fiber optic sensors, digital pyrometry, and finite element analysis. Thermocouples remain the most widely used technique due to their low cost and high precision, although they are limited by reduced spatial resolution. Infrared thermography offers the advantage of being non-invasive but requires controlled environments and specialized equipment. Finite element models provide valuable theoretical predictions of thermal behavior but are highly dependent on material properties and boundary conditions. There is still no consensus regarding the most accurate method for assessing temperature during osteotomies, and methodological heterogeneity continues to hinder the establishment of clinical thresholds for thermal damage. Future studies should aim for methodological standardization and the development of real-time, non-invasive measurement technologies.

Keywords

temperature measurement, implant drills, infrared thermography, thermocouple, osteotomy