The relationship between marginal bone loss around dental implants and the specific characteristics of implant-prosthetic treatment

The marginal bone loss around dental implants is an important indicator that helps to evaluate the course and the final outcome of implant-prosthetic treatment. It is, therefore, important to understand the factors that may affect this. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the specific characteristics of implant-prosthetic treatment on the marginal bone loss around implants. The study included 28 patients, aged 37-66 years, treated with dental implants. Every patient received at least one of the two types of implants: with Morse taper connection and with internal hexagonal connection. The average marginal bone loss around the implants was evaluated on the basis of the panoramic radiographs. The maximum follow-up period after implantation was 46 months. The peri-implant marginal bone loss was evaluated taking into consideration the implant localisation, the procedure of sinus lift with bone augmentation, implant type, implant diameter, vertical implant position relative to the compact bone level and the type of prosthetic restoration, the time between implantation and loading with prosthetic restoration, as well as the time between loading and the measurement of marginal bone loss. The correlation between bone loss and the selected characteristics of the treatment was assessed using generalised estimating equations (GEE). An objective analysis was enabled via the applied research model: evaluation of an impact of the specific implant-prosthetic treatment characteristics on peri-implant marginal bone loss in patients treated with implants with different implant-abutment interface systems. The results of the study showed that peri-implant marginal bone loss increased significantly with implant localisation in canine sites (compared to the localization in premolar sites), as well as with prosthetic restorations in the form of dentures (compared to bridges), and decreased when implants were placed below the compact bone level (compared to those placed at the bone level). At the same time, marginal bone loss was not significantly related to implant diameter or to the sinus lift procedure. The results obtained seem extremely useful in everyday clinical practice.