Osseointegrated implants for single-tooth replacement: a prospective 5-year multicenter study

One hundred seven Brånemark implants were placed in 92 patients participating in an international multicenter trial on single-implant restorations at seven centers. The patients were followed for 5 years in a prospective study focusing on implant success and crown function. Plaque and gingival indexes, as well as probing depths, were recorded around teeth and implants. The marginal bone level at implants was determined from intraoral radiographs. Only three implants (2.8%) had been lost at the final annual checkup. During the follow-up period, a total of 17 patients dropped out or were excluded because of nonconformity with the protocol. Based on the remaining patients, a total of 86 implants were clinically and radiographically evaluated at the 5-year follow-up period, resulting in a cumulative success rate of 96.6% (71 implants) in the maxillae and 100% (15 implants) in the mandibles. Plaque and gingival indexes showed a similar pattern of good health around both natural teeth and titanium abutments. The marginal bone loss during the 5-year period did not exceed 1 mm as a mean for all implants analyzed. The most frequent complication recorded during the follow-up was loosening of the abutment fixation screw. The outcome of this study indicated that safe and highly predictable results can be obtained for 5 years when Brånemark implants are used to support single-tooth restorations.