Does the serum level of vitamin D affect marginal bone loss around dental implants?

Vitamin D is effective in bone healing. The aim of this study was to assess marginal bone loss (MBL) around dental implants in patients with sufficient and insufficient serum levels of vitamin D. This was a prospective cohort study with a pre-protocol population. Patients who underwent dental implantation in the first or second molar region and had a long-cone peri-apical digital radiograph taken at the time of loading and 12 months later were studied. Patients were assigned to one of three groups based on their serum vitamin D level: group 1, the serum level of vitamin D was deficient, group 2 insufficient, and group 3 sufficient. The marginal bone level change from immediately after loading to 12 months later was considered as MBL. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to compare MBL between the three groups. Ninety patients were included (30 in each group). The mean MBL was 1.38 ± 0.33 mm in group 1, 0.89 ± 0.16 mm in group 2, and 0.78 ± 0.12 mm in group 3. Analysis of the data demonstrated a significant difference in the mean MBL among the three groups (P < 0.001). There was a correlation between MBL and vitamin D serum levels (P < 0.001). It appears that a low serum level of vitamin D may be associated with increased MBL.