SURVIVAL AND SUCCESS OF SINGLE-TOOTH DENTAL IMPLANT: A RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION

Abstract

The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the long-term success of dental implants that replaced single missing teeth. The success criteria were: absence of, persistent subjective complaints such as pain, foreign body sensation and/or dysesthesia, recurrent peri-implant infection with suppuration, mobility, and continuous radiolucency around the dental implant. Patients were recruited from implant clinic at the College of Dentistry; King Saud University; with at least one year of implant functional loading. In addition, information regarding dental implant satisfaction was collected through a self-administered questionnaire during the recall appointment. Eighty five patients received a total of 141 dental implants. Data showed that the success rate of the single-tooth implant was 94.3%. Screw loosening was the most common complication reported (12.1%). Eleven (7.8%) implants had an exposed metal collar, which was related with minimal (<2 mm) or absence of attached keratinized tissue around the implant. There was no difference between screw-retained and cemented-retained restorations. This study demonstrated high predictability of dental implants used to support single-tooth restorations on long-term evaluation.