Dental implant design and oral and systemic health

Dental implants are now a common treatment for replacing missing teeth, and their success has long been measured by appearance, function, and longevity of placement. Most dental implants provide a natural-looking appearance. However, both patients and dentists should be aware that infectious complications of dental implants may not only affect function and longevity, but also the systemic health of patients. In addition to traditional measures of success, numerous published studies support, as a key outcome, prevention of implants from harboring periodontal pathogens. Known negative outcomes of infection include failure of the implant to integrate with the bone, causing implant loss and possible bone loss. Given the established associations between periodontitis and systemic health, it is possible that infection in and around the implant components may impart risks to systemic health. This article reviews causes for peri-implant infection and implant loss, and evaluates an implant design that decreases the possibility of infection and possible health complications, by preventing bacterial infiltration.