Long-term implant survival and success: a 10-16-year follow-up of non-submerged dental implants.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term results of dental implants using implant survival and implant success as outcome variables.

METHODS

Of the 76 patients who received 162 implants of the Straumann Dental Implant System during the years 1990-1997, 55 patients with 131 implants were recalled 10-16 years after implant placement for a complete clinical and radiographic examination, followed by a questionnaire that examined the degree of satisfaction. The incidence of biological and technical complications has been carefully analysed for each implant. Success was defined as being free of all these complications over the entire observation period. Associated factors related to peri-implant lesions were analysed for each implant.

RESULTS

The long-term implant cumulative survival rate up to 16 years was 82.94%. The prevalence of biological complications was 16.94% and the prevalence of technical complications was 31.09%. The cumulative complication rate after an observation period of 10-16 years was 48.03%, which meant that substantial amounts of chair time were necessary following implant placement. The majority of implant losses and biological complications were concentrated in a relatively small number of patients.

CONCLUSION

Despite a relatively high long-term survival rate, biological and technical complications were frequent. Patients with a history of periodontitis may have lower implant survival rates than patients without a history of periodontitis and were more prone to biological complications such as peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis.