Radiographic assessment of changes in marginal bone around endosseous implants supporting mandibular overdentures.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability of a new method for quantification of radiographic changes in the marginal bone around implants.


METHODS
Three groups of seven patients treated with an overdenture supported by two endosseous implants (Brnemark, n = 7 patients; IMZ, n = 7 patients; ITI Bonefit, n = 7 patients) were selected. Six weeks after loading the implants, radiographs were obtained using the long cone technique and an aiming device, scanned and digitized. Two observers measured the height and area of the peri-implant bone defects twice. The difference between measurements was statistically analysed using paired t-tests.


RESULTS
There were small differences in interobserver error for the Brnemark implant system (P < 0.05), but no significant differences for the IMZ and ITI Bonefit. There were no significant difference in intraobserver error with any of the three implant systems (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The newly developed technique by measuring the area of the defect overcomes some drawbacks of existing techniques for quantification of peri-implant bone loss in the mandible.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Maxillofacial Prosthetics, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
R H
RH
Batenburg
H J
HJ
Meijer
W G
WG
Geraets
P F
PF
van der Stelt
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000009:adverse effects; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D015588:Observer Variation; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016474:Weight-Bearing
D015921:Dental Implants