Supportive post-implant therapy: patient compliance rates and impacting factors: 3-year follow-up

To evaluate patient compliance rates and influential factors regarding a systematic SIT program.

Between 2005 and 2008, we identified all patients who were provided with implant-supported restorations in the study centre. They had been recommended to attend a SIT program with a 3-month recall. In 2012, a clinical retrospective cohort study on compliance rates over the first 3 years was performed different data were assessed in a regression analysis to identify potential influential factors.

The inclusion criteria were met by 236 patients with 540 implants. Non-compliance rates increased over the 3 years (5.37%/7.78%/13.33%). Total non-compliance was observed in four patients (1.69%). No correlation to patient compliance was detected for "Age," "Gender," "Cardiovascular disease," "Pus/suppuration," or "Surgical case complexity." No decreasing effect of higher compliance rates on the patients' bleeding on probing (BOP+) values was found, but a statistical significance between lower compliance rates and increased pocket probing depth (PPD) was detected. The correlation between the presence of plaque and compliance did not reach statistical significance.

When patients with implant-supported restorations are strongly recommended to comply with a SIT program with a 3-month recall, considerably high rates of compliance can be achieved.