Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the 10‐year outcome of 25 patients with immediate
loading in the edentulous mandible.
Material and Methods
Twenty‐five patients were consecutively treated with 5 immediately loaded fluoride‐modified
implants in the edentulous mandible. Implant survival and bone loss were evaluated
by an external researcher comparing digital periapical radiographs taken during recall
visits with baseline (at implant insertion). Statistical descriptive analysis and
nonparametric tests were performed using SPSS v23, multilevel analysis was performed
by means of R version 3.1.0. to identify risk factors for bone loss.
Results
Twenty‐one patients (8 males, 13 females, mean age 68.4, range 49‐84) responded to
the 10‐year recall invitation. No implants were lost during follow‐up, resulting in
a 100% survival rate. After 10 years, bleeding on probing and plaque were present
at 49.5% and 67.6% of the sites, respectively. The mean pocket probing depth was 3.77
mm (SD 0.73, range 3.0‐6.83). Bone loss on implant level after 3, 12, 24, and 120
months was 0.16 mm (SD 0.33, range 0‐1.75), 0.14 mm (SD 0.24, range 0‐1.05), 0.17
mm (SD 0.27, range 0‐1.5), and 0.49 mm (SD 1.08, range 0‐7.8). Five implants were
identified with or at risk for progressive bone loss. Forty‐seven percent of the implants
did not show any bone loss after 10 years in function and 87% lost less than 1 mm.
Multilevel statistical analysis identified 2‐year bone loss as a predictor for bone
loss after 10 years of function.
Conclusion
Immediate loading of 5 fluoride‐modified dental implants with a fixed prosthetic rehabilitation
is a predictable and reliable treatment in the edentulous mandible, based on a 100%
implant survival and limited peri‐implant bone loss. Implants used for immediate loading
in the edentulous mandible who are showing early bone loss may be at higher risk to
develop peri‐implantitis.
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