Low Insertional Torque and Early Dental Implant Failure

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Lack of standardized insertional torque values for dental implants.
• Varying torque levels may influence early implant success rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare early dental implant failure rates based on insertional torque.
• Investigate the association between insertional torque (<30 N-cm vs. ≥30 N-cm) and early implant failure.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 214 dental implants placed between 2015-2016.
• Analysis of insertional torque (≥30 N-cm vs. <30 N-cm) as the primary predictor.
• Time-to-event analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves and a frailty model, with 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• 14 out of 214 implants (6.5%) experienced early failure.
• Implants with <30 N-cm torque were 14 times more likely to fail early (HR=13.909, P=.0108).

Conclusions:

• Low insertional torque (<30 N-cm) is significantly associated with increased early dental implant failures.
• Higher insertional torque may be crucial for successful dental implant integration.
• Further prospective research is recommended to confirm these findings.