Long-term study of dental implants placed into alveolar cleft sites.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term prognosis of dental implants placed into cleft sites after bone grafting in a relatively large number of cases in order to clarify the usefulness of the modality.


METHODS
Forty-seven patients with unilateral (dental, n=32) or bilateral (n=15) clefts of the alveolar process were included in this study.


METHODS
A total of 71 implants, including smooth- or rough-surface titanium, and hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated implants, were placed after bone grafting from the anterior iliac crest and/or mandible. The placed implants were 13 to 15 mm in length.


RESULTS
The follow-up period was from 21 to 120 months (average=60 months). Implant survival rates were calculated as cumulative survival. Marginal bone loss (MBL) from the implant shoulder was examined, with statistical analyses performed on the influence of simultaneous bone graft and surface characteristics.


RESULTS
At the end of the clinical follow-up period, all implants except one were in situ and stable. Thus, the overall survival rate was 98.6% at the end of the first year and remained the same until the end of observation. Titanium implants with smooth surfaces had the lowest MBL with almost negligible regression slope, although some implants had relatively high MBL by the end of the first year.


CONCLUSIONS
Implant therapy in the cleft site offers a reliable option for patients. Particular attention should be focused preoperatively on whether bone volume can provide primary implant stability.
Matsui
Yoshiro
Y
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Yokohama City Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. ymatsui@yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Ohno
Kohsuke
K
Nishimura
Akiko
A
Shirota
Tatsuo
T
Kim
Syutaku
S
Miyashita
Hajime
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000601:surgery*; D000543:Alveoloplasty; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
D015921:Dental Implants; D017886:Durapatite; D014025:Titanium