Microthreaded Implants and Crestal Bone Loss: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Biomaterials Science
• Periodontology

Background:

• Crestal bone loss is a critical factor in dental implant success.
• Various implant neck designs aim to mitigate bone resorption.
• Microthreading is a specific surface modification technique applied to implant necks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on the effect of microthreaded-neck dental implants on crestal bone loss.
• To compare crestal bone levels around microthreaded implants versus other implant designs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review using PICO (Participants, Interventions, Comparison groups, Outcomes, Study design) framework.
• Searched 3 electronic databases for articles published between January 1995 and June 2016.
• Included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and other clinical trials comparing microthreaded implants with other designs; excluded case reports, reviews, and non-English articles.

Main Results:

• 23 articles met the inclusion criteria, reporting follow-up periods from 12 to 96 months.
• Crestal bone loss ranged from 0.05 mm to 0.9 mm across the reviewed studies.
• Dental implants with a microthreaded neck design demonstrated less crestal bone loss than machined-surface or conventional rough-surface implants.

Conclusions:

• Microthreaded-neck dental implants are associated with reduced crestal bone loss.
• These implants represent a favorable option compared to implants with alternative surface designs.
• Standardized imaging techniques are recommended for future research, particularly in bone-augmented sites.