Influence of Restorative Design on the Progression of Peri-implant Bone Loss: A Retrospective Study

Background: Clinical data on the restorative designs affecting the early progression of peri-implantitis are scarce. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of several restorative factors (e.g., restoration emergence angle, and internal screw length/diameter) on the marginal bone loss around implants with peri-implantitis.

Methods: Implants diagnosed with peri-implantitis having 1- (T1) and 2-year (T2) follow-ups were included. In addition, within 6 months pre-diagnosis (Tb), all cases required to have full documentation in which no evidence of peri-implantitis was not indicated. Changes in marginal bone levels (MBLs) from Tb to T1 and from T1 to T2 were evaluated. The effect of several variables on MBLs changes was assessed via univariate and multivariate generalized estimating equations.

Results: Eighty-three bone-level implants from 65 patients were selected. The mean follow-up before peri-implantitis diagnosis was 99.47 ± 47.93 months. The radiographic mean marginal bone loss was 1.52 ± 1.33 mm (Tb to T1) and 0.58 ± 0.52 mm (T1 to T2). Restoration emergence angle and frequency of maintenance visits significantly affected MBLs from Tb to T1. Besides, 66.3% of the included implants' bone levels were in a zone within 1 mm of the apical end of the internal screw at T1 and remained in this zone during the second follow-up year.

Conclusions: Significant marginal bone loss occurred in the early post-diagnosis period of peri-implantitis, which could be affected by the restoration emergence angle. Peri-implant MBLs were frequently located in a zone within 1 mm of the apical end of the internal screw.