Dental implant removal does not affect QoL and satisfaction of patients

A cross-sectional study was designed to shed light on the clinical sequelae and patient satisfaction after dental implant removal (IR).

Patients undergoing ≥1 dental implant removal (IR) were eligible. The reasons for implant failure, clinical and radiological parameters before and after dental implant removal (IR), and the surgical and prosthetic treatments offered after dental implant removal (IR) were assessed. Patient satisfaction was recorded and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 was used to document patient self-reported dysfunction and discomfort attributed to dental implant removal (IR). Lastly, patient expectations after IR were also evaluated.

The results of the study are:

Thirty-one patients with 45 implants were analyzed. Peri-implantitis was the main reason for dental implant removal (IR) (64.5%). The average implant survival time before IR was 120.3 ± 88.2 months. Signs of infection (51.7%) and bleeding on probing (37.5%) were common signs detected at the time of dental implant removal (IR). Guided bone regeneration was the intervention most commonly applied simultaneously to dental implant removal (IR) (74.1%). The reported degree of satisfaction was high, and the overall OHIP-14 score was low. However, a certain patient reluctance to undergo future implant placement in the same clinic or with the same professional was recorded, and a statistically significant increase in adherence to the implant maintenance routine was observed after dental implant removal (IR).

Thus, peri-implantitis is the leading cause for dental implant removal (IR). Guided bone regeneration is commonly applied to attenuate the clinical sequelae of dental implant removal (IR). Nonetheless, dental implant removal (IR) does not seem to affect patients' satisfaction nor their quality of life, though a certain patient reluctance to undergo future implant placement in the same clinic or with the same professional was reported.

Reference:

Clinical sequelae and patients' perception of dental implant removal: A cross-sectional study by Jordi Gargallo-Albiol et al. published in the Journal of Periodontology

https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.20-0259