New Method of Controlling Crestal Bone Loss in Dental Implants

Objectives: Crestal bone level is one of the crucial factors in evaluating the success rate of intra-oral implants in long term. Literature shows that NIH is considering crestal bone as number one factor in long term success rate. Following the comparison of crestal bone loss research that was presented in CED meeting in Amsterdam we showed that one cylindrical implant design improves bone preservation comparing to tapered implants. The focus of this pilot study was to stabilize bone loss or even encourage bone growth around implants that have lost bone due to physiological use. Methods:This study involved 5 volunteers between the age of 35 and 55 with at least 30% bone loss around solid screw parallel sided acid etched sand blasted implants. The total implants investigated were 10. Implants had fixed prosthesis. Bone loss was detected by PA X-ray. The prosthesis was removed full thickness flap was raised and the exposed integration implant surface was treated with normal saline, 37% acid etch for 2 minutes and then cleaned with 50 micron aluminum oxide sand blasting with 1 bar of pressure. Results: Over the six month x-ray and clinical recall visits all implants showed stabilised bone level in which no further bone was resorbed. In 5 implants the average of 1 mm of bone was gained after 6 months. Conclusions: Based on the results of this clinical pilot study it can be concluded that this method is an effective method of saving implants that are losing bone actively even though the number of implants and the recall period must be bigger in future studies.