A systematic review on the association between genetic predisposition and dental implant biological complications

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and dental implant biological complications.

All prospective, cross-sectional and retrospective studies reporting on dental implant loss/peri-implantitis/peri-implant marginal bone loss after loading in association with genetic polymorphism were considered for inclusion. A thorough search of electronic databases, supplemented by checking bibliographies of review articles was performed by two independent reviewers. Quality assessment of the included studies was conducted independently and in duplicate by two reviewers as part of the data extraction process.

The search provided 344 related articles. Twenty-two publications were identified for possible inclusion and finally, seven articles met the defined inclusion criteria. Four studies which investigated the potential relationship between early implant loss and IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α or TGF-β1 genotype revealed no evidence to support this association. In two of the three studies which evaluated peri-implantitis in relation to IL-1 genotype, the findings indicate that IL-1RN (intron 2), IL-1A (-899), IL-1B (+3954) gene polymorphisms were correlated to increased peri-implant tissue infection and destruction.

Methodological and study design issues restricted the possibility to draw robust conclusions. Within the limits of this review, it might be concluded that there is no obvious association between specific genetic polymorphism and dental implant failure in terms of biological complications, although a tendency should be underlined showing the potential link between IL-1 genotype and peri-implantitis. Well designed and adequately powered prospective cohort studies are needed to provide further information.