Autoimmune Diseases and Dental Implants: What You Need to Know!

Objectives: The aim of this literature review is to analyze the influence of autoimmune diseases on dental implants survival as well as to review the recommendations for immunocompromised patients receiving implants.
Methods: A search was conducted on pubmed using MESH terms “autoimmune diseases” and “dental implant”. We selected publications of the last ten years in English language.
Results: A total of 19 studies, 11 case reports, 2 prospective, and 6 retrospective studies investigated the influence of autoimmune diseases on the survival rates of dental implants. A total of 596 inserted implants in 129 patients were examined between 6 and 156-month follow-up. The mean survival rate of implants in patients with autoimmune disease was 88.75%.
Conclusions: Guidelines regarding implant treatment of patients with auto immune diseases are not defined nor are the contraindicating conditions. Implant survival rates of patients affected are comparable to those of healthy patients. Implant-prosthetic treatment guidelines regarding healthy patients should be strictly followed, but frequent recall is recommended in immunocompromised patients.