Dental implants result in minimal bone loss.

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that the majority of bone remodeling occurred in the time between the implant placement and final prosthesis placement. Little mean bone change was observed in the five years following the implant placement, independent of type of restoration or implant length.

Dental implants are often used to replace missing teeth to restore tooth function and appearance. Previous research shows that the placement of a dental implant disrupts the host tissue in the area of the implant, so practitioners often focus their treatment planning to carefully maintain the patient's bone and gum tissue surrounding the implant.

The study was conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. It evaluated 596 dental implants placed in 192 patients over the age of 18. Patients were screened for adequate oral hygiene and bone volume. Exclusion criteria included heavy smoking, chewing tobacco use, drug abuse and untreated periodontal disease, amongst others.

Study author David Cochran, DDS, PhD, chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), believes that this study provides additional support for the use of dental implants to replace missing teeth.

Source: American Academy of Periodontology

This edition of Health was prepared by Frances Moffett.