Multidisciplinary management of congenitally missing teeth with osseointegrated dental implants: a long-term report

To describe a multidisciplinary approach to ensure optimal treatment and timing of treatment for these patients.

Ten patients with congenital missing teeth were treated with dental implants with a multidisciplinary approach, including orthodontics, prosthodontics, and/or orthognathic surgery, from 1997 to 2006 in the Department of Implant Dentistry, Peking University, Hospital of Stomatology. All patients were followed up over five years. Clinical and radiographic examinations were conducted for all the patients. A thorough diagnostic workup was used and the outline of the treatment planning was given from the prosthodontic point of view.

A total of 31 implants were placed and restored for the 10 patients involved. Followup averaged 108.4 months (61-155 months) after implant prosthetic functioning. With the multidisciplinary approach, a satisfactory treatment for these patients was acquired, with follow-up for more than 5 years. The peri-implant marginal bone level was stable with bone resorption averaged 1.97 mm. Peri-implantitis was found in one patient with two implants and effectively treated with local anti-infection. Ceramic chips were observed in two cases and the crowns were re-fabricated.

Implant restoration with an interdisciplinary approach provides an alternative way with predictable clinical results for patients with congenitally missing teeth.