Eruption of Adjacent Teeth Following Anterior Maxillary Implant Placement in Older Adults: A 14-20-Year Follow-Up

To evaluate continued tooth eruption and infra-occlusion of anterior maxillary dental implants in patients > 40 years old at the time of implant placement.

This retrospective study included 30 patients (mean age: 47 years; median age: 45 years) with a total of 32 anterior maxillary implants placed. Patients with incomplete records or tooth loss due to periodontal disease were excluded from the study. The mean follow-up duration was 14 years, with no recorded implant failures. Marginal bone loss was measured using standardized periapical radiographs, whereas vertical discrepancies between implant-supported crowns and adjacent teeth were assessed through digital imaging.

A statistically significant correlation was found between Angle occlusion classification and tooth eruption above the occlusal plane (χ² = 15, P = .000), with 100% patients with Class II division 1 demonstrating > 1 mm of eruption. The mean marginal bone loss was 1.76 mm. A significant correlation was observed between bone loss and tooth eruption (P = .003), with greater bone loss found in cases where the eruption was > 1 mm. Linear regression analysis further confirmed this correlation between eruption and bone loss (R² = 0.349).

Infra-occlusion of anterior maxillary implant restorations in adults may progress over time and appears to be significant in patients with Class II division 1 occlusion. These findings suggest that continuous occlusal changes may affect esthetic and functional outcomes.