Relationship Between Osteoporosis and Marginal Bone Loss in Osseointegrated Implants: A 2-Year Retrospective Study

Fitting implants in osteoporotic patients has traditionally been controversial, and there is little scientific evidence relating osteoporosis to marginal bone loss (MBL). The aims of this study are as follows: 1) to evaluate the possibility of a correlation between osteoporosis, as measured by the mandibular cortical index (MCI), and MBL and 2) to assess how various systemic diseases, periodontitis, and placement of implants in regenerated bone are correlated with MBL and MCI.

This retrospective study examines 212 implants inserted in 67 patients. To take a possible cluster failure into account, an implant for each patient was selected (n = 67 implants). MBL was assessed. Osteoporosis was evaluated using the MCI. Both MBL and MCI were assessed from panoramic radiographs. χ(2) test was performed (Haberman post hoc test). Significance was P <0.05.

When the total sample implant (N = 212) was evaluated, a significant association was found between the presence of osteoporosis and MCI (P <0.001) and between the presence of diabetes mellitus and MCI (P <0.01). Significant associations were also found between MBL and placement of implants in regenerated sites (P <0.001) and between MBL and a previous history of periodontitis (P <0.05). When the sample is evaluated only in selected implants (one per patient, n = 67), significant differences appear to relate only to the MBL with the placement of implants in regenerated bone sites (P <0.001).

Osteoporosis (as evaluated by MCI) does not pose a risk for the development of greater MBL. Parameters adversely affecting the development of increased MBL are a previous history of periodontitis and especially the placement of implants at sites of bone regeneration.