Crestal Bone Loss Around Submerged and Non-Submerged Dental Implants in Individuals with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus: A 7-Year Prospective Clinical Study.

OBJECTIVE: In establishing an evidence-based rationale for the optimal use of implant therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it is essential to first understand the impact of glycemic control on early healing and the success of dental implants. The objective of this study was to evaluate crestal bone loss (CBL) and stability around submerged and non-submerged dental implants in Saudi patients with well- and poorly controlled T2DM. SUBJECT AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with well-controlled T2DM (24 males and 11 females) and 32 poorly controlled T2DM patients (19 males and 13 females) were included. CBL was measured on digital radiographs; resonance frequency analysis (RFA) measurements were made for each implant at the time of fixture placement and at 3 months in both the groups. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 124 dental implants were placed. Mean RFA values between baseline and 3 months in poorly controlled T2DM patients was statistically significant (p = 0.048). CBL at first year (p = 0.047), second year (p = 0.041), third year (p = 0.046), and seventh year (p = 0.035) was significantly worse in poorly controlled T2DM. CBL around non-submerged dental implants showed statistically significant differences at all time-intervals (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Poorly controlled T2DM patients present worse peri-implant bone outcomes as compared to patients with well-controlled T2DM. We suggest that the predictability of successful dental implant therapy outcomes depends on the maintenance of optimal haemoglobin A1c levels.