Incidental findings of implant complications on postimplantation CBCTs: A cross-sectional study

Osseointegration implies a firm, direct and lasting connection between vital bone and screw-shaped titanium implants of defined finish and geometry-fixtures. Thus, there is no interposed tissue between fixture and bone. Osseointegration can only be achieved and maintained by a gentle surgical installation technique, a long healing time and a proper stress distribution when in function. During a 15-year period (1965-1980), 2768 fixtures were installed in 410 edentulous jaws of 371 consecutive patients. All patients were provided with facultatively removable bridges and were examined at continuous yearly controls. The surgical and prosthetic technique was developed and evaluated over a pilot period of 5 years. The results of standardized procedures applied on a consecutive clinical material with an observation time of 5-9 years were thought to properly reflect the potential of the method. In this group, 130 jaws were provided with 895 fixtures, and of these 81% of the maxillary and 91% of the mandibular fixtures remained stable, supporting bridges. In 89% of the maxillary and 100% of the mandibular cases, the bridges were continuously stable. During healing and the first year after connection of the bridge, the mean value for marginal bone loss was 1.5 mm. Thereafter only 0.1 mm was lost annually. The clinical results achieved with bridges on osseointegrated fixtures fulfill and exceed the demands set by the 1978 Harvard Conference on successful dental implantation procedures.

Peri-implantitis is an inflammatory disease affecting soft and hard tissues surrounding dental implants. As the global number of individuals that undergo restorative therapy through dental implants increases, peri-implantitis is considered as a major and growing problem in dentistry. A randomly selected sample of 588 patients who all had received implant-supported therapy 9 y earlier was clinically and radiographically examined. Prevalence of peri-implantitis was assessed and risk indicators were identified by multilevel regression analysis. Forty-five percent of all patients presented with peri-implantitis (bleeding on probing/suppuration and bone loss >0.5 mm). Moderate/severe peri-implantitis (bleeding on probing/suppuration and bone loss >2 mm) was diagnosed in 14.5%. Patients with periodontitis and with ≥4 implants, as well as implants of certain brands and prosthetic therapy delivered by general practitioners, exhibited higher odds ratios for moderate/severe peri-implantitis. Similarly, higher odds ratios were identified for implants installed in the mandible and with crown restoration margins positioned ≤1.5 mm from the crestal bone at baseline. It is suggested that peri-implantitis is a common condition and that several patient- and implant-related factors influence the risk for moderate/severe peri-implantitis (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01825772).

Grafting of the maxillary sinus floor has been performed successfully over the last decade. The ultimate goal of this procedure is to allow surviving implants to support a functional prosthesis. Surgical complications of the procedure are rarely reported and their impact on implant survival has been investigated even to a lesser extent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of surgical complications of the sinus graft procedure and their impact on implant survival. The study consisted of 70 patients who underwent 81 sinus graft procedures using the lateral wall approach from 1995 to 2000. A total of 212 screw-shaped implants were placed in the grafted sinuses and were restored by fixed prosthesis. Mean follow-up period for the implants was 43.6 months. Intra- and postoperative complications were thoroughly documented regarding clinical signs, times of occurrence, and treatment regimens. Perforation of the Schneiderian membrane was the major intraoperative complication, observed in 36 of the 81 sinuses (44%). Of the 70 patients, seven (10%) suffered from postoperative complications, specifically related to the sinus graft procedure, which included an uncommon cyst formation and an infection. Membrane perforations were strongly associated with the appearance of postoperative complications (specific and non-specific to the procedure) (P < 0.001). However, no association was found between membrane perforations or postoperative complications and implant survival. Intraoperative complications may lead to postoperative complications. Surgical complications did not significantly influence implant survival.