Clinical evaluation of an implant maintenance protocol for the prevention of peri-implant diseases in patients treated with immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitations

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene 9 , 2011; 216–222
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2010.00489.x
Corbella S, Del Fabbro M, Taschieri S, De Siena F, Francetti L. Clinical evaluation of an implant maintenance protocol for the prevention of peri‐implant diseases in patients treated with immediately loaded full‐arch rehabilitations. Abstract: Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the outcomes of an implant maintenance protocol for implants supporting a full‐arch rehabilitation. Materials and methods: Sixty‐one patients (28 women and 33 men) treated with immediately loaded full‐arch rehabilitation, both mandibular and maxillary, supported by a combination of two tilted and two axial implants, were included in the study. Patients were scheduled for follow‐up visits every 6 months for +2 years, then yearly up to 4 years. Each patient received professional oral hygiene treatment and detailed oral hygiene instructions. During each visit, modified plaque index, bleeding index and probing depth were assessed. The presence of peri‐implant tissue inflammation was also evaluated. Results: Mean observation time, considering both mandible and maxilla, was 18.3 months ranging from 6 months to 5 years. Both plaque and bleeding indexes frequency decreased over time. Probing depth was stable (2.46 ± 0.5 mm at 4 years). Only three implants were lost due to peri‐implantitis (1.4% at 12 months), whereas the incidence of peri‐implant mucositis was less than 10% in each considered period. Conclusions: The adoption of a systematic hygienic protocol is effective in keeping low the incidence of peri‐implant mucositis as well as in controlling plaque accumulation and clinical attachment loss.