Dental implants in patients with oral mucosal alterations: An update

To determine whether a series of diseases of the oral mucosa - Sjögren syndrome, ectodermal dysplasia, epidermolysis bullosa and lichen planus - reduce the survival rate of dental implants.

A Medline search was carried out using the key words: " Sjögren syndrome ", "ectodermal dysplasia ", "epidermolysis bullosa ", "lichen planus " and "dental implants ", including those publications involving clinical series comprising more than one patient with the mentioned disorders and treated with dental implants, in the last 10 years.

The study included three articles involving patients with Sjögren syndrome subjected to dental implant treatment, representing a total of 12 patients and 86 implants, with a mean pondered success rate of 86.33%. As regards ectodermal dysplasia, we included 14 articles, of which 11 corresponded to clinical series, two were reviews and one constituted a survey of dental professionals. The percentage success rate of the implants varied between 35.7-100%. In relation to epidermolysis bullosa, we included 6 articles corresponding to clinical series, with a total of 16 patients and 92 implants, and a success rate between 75-100%. In the case of oral lichen planus we found only two articles corresponding to clinical case series, with a total of 5 patients and 14 implants, and an implant survival rate of 100%.

Based on our review of the literature, dental implant rehabilitation in patients of this kind is seen to be a valid treatment option, with a high percentage success rate. Long-term patient follow-up is essential in order to periodically monitor the condition of the disease and of the implants.