Evaluation of peri-implant tissues in patients receiving implant-supported prosthodontic treatment after 5 years of function

Background

Dental implant treatment in cases of edentulous or partially edentulous patients is nowadays the most common option to restore lost function with respect to chewing capability and aesthetics. Clinical long-term investigations report favorable implant survival rates for fixed complete dentures, fixed partial dentures, overdentures or single crown restorations. Since this treatment involves different surgical and prosthodontic concepts, it is crucial to establish regular maintenance protocols and monitoring of these patients.

Aim/Hypothesis

The aim of the present study was to assess the condition of the peri-implant tissues and the success rate of implant-supported prosthodontic treatment after 5 years of function.

Material and Methods

The study included 38 patients from the Belgrade School of Dental Medicine who were rehabilitated in the period from 2004 to 2013. The examination was performed during the period October 2018 – March 2019. A total of 136 implants of various manufacturers were observed, and the following clinical parameters were monitored- probing depth, bleeding on probing, soft tissues’ health, plaque index, and the presence of a mucosal recession. All implant and prosthetic-related parameters have been registered in special case record forms, and SPSS 23.0 program was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Out of 38 patients, 62% were female and 38% male. The average age of patients was 60 years. The average time elapsed since the prosthetic rehabilitation was 6.10 years. In 91.2% delayed implant placement and in 86.8% delayed loading protocol were applied. Soft tissues 50% of implants presented with inflammation, and with positive bleeding on probing. Average probing depth was 3 mm, and in the case of the present recession 0.15 mm. Smoking, oral hygiene, upper or lower jaw, type of implant, placement and loading protocol, showed a statistically significant influence on the soft tissue health, probing depth, and bleeding on probing. Plaque accumulation was influenced by the region in the jaw of implant placement, which proved to be a the only contributing factor to recession development.

Conclusion and Clinical Implications

The results of the present study are consistent with the literature data, indicating that certain treatment success predictors had an impact on the treatment outcome. It is necessary to extend the sample size and monitoring time to confirm the obtained results.