Success or failure of dental implants? A literature review with treatment considerations

Abstract

This study reviews the literature concerning the success or failure of dental implants and provides the general dentist with information to decide whether to recommend dental implant therapy to a patient. The authors conducted an extensive literature search for articles relating to dental implant failure. Metaanalyses and multi-center studies were predominant in the selection. Predictors of dental implant success or failure were gleaned from various articles and presented in the form of text and tables. The main predictors for implant success are the quantity and quality of bone, the patient's age, the dentist's experience, location of implant placement, length of the implant, axial loading, and oral hygiene maintenance. Primary predictors of implant failure are poor bone quality, chronic periodontitis, systemic diseases, smoking, unresolved caries or infection, advanced age, implant location, short implants, acentric loading, an inadequate number of implants, parafunctional habits and absence/loss of implant integration with hard and soft tissues. Inappropriate prosthesis design also may contribute to implant failure.