Assessment of Peri-Implant Bone Density Using Intraoral Periapical Radiographs: A Retrospective Observational...

Background/Objectives: Osseointegration is essential for the long-term success of dental implants, and radiographic assessment may support the evaluation of peri-implant bone healing. This retrospective study evaluated peri-implant radiographic bone density (PIBD) as a potential indicator of osseointegration in patients who underwent successful implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. Methods: Patients with at least one endosseous dental implant and a minimum of two standardized periapical radiographs-one at placement (T0) and one during follow-up-were included. Digital radiographs were obtained using the paralleling technique and analyzed with ImageJ^®. Normalized bone density values were calculated for predefined areas of interest (AOIs). Marginal Bone Level (MBL) changes were also assessed. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro-Wilk test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Dunn's post hoc test with Bonferroni correction. Results: 88 implants in 64 patients were analyzed (198 radiographs; 1299 AOIs measurements). Normalized bone density showed significant temporal changes in several AOIs, mainly from 3 to 12 months, across coronal/middle/apical regions. PIBD decreased by approximately 8% between T0 and 3 months, followed by a significant increase at one year. MBL values were minimal and well below physiologic thresholds throughout follow-up. No significant correlation was found between MBL and normalized bone density. Conclusions: PIBD assessment may be a reliable, non-invasive tool for monitoring osseointegration during follow-up and supporting clinical decision-making in postoperative controls. The temporal pattern observed confirms three radiographic healing phases after implant placement: an initial decrease in PIBD during early remodeling, a subsequent increase reflecting osseointegration, and a final stabilization phase corresponding to tertiary implant stability.