title: Characteristics of early versus late implant failure: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Implant failures can be divided into early and late according to the timing of failure. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare both types.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 194 patients (98 men and 96 women) who presented after dental implant failures during a 6-year period (2000 to 2006). The patient served as the unit of analysis. A history of at least 1 failed and removed dental implant served as the inclusion criterion. Patients were excluded from this study whenever their files had missing data. The collected data included a patient's characteristics, failure characteristics, and the anatomic status of the alveolar ridge after failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Late failures were associated with moderate to severe bone loss, a larger number of failed implants per patient, a higher incidence in men, and mostly in posterior areas. Early failures were associated with minimal bone loss, occurred more in women, at a younger age, and in most cases the implants were intended to support single crowns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meticulous follow-up is needed to reveal and treat failing or ailing implants. Once established as hopeless, they should be removed as soon as possible to prevent further bone loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yifat
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manor
authors.forename: Saheer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oubaid
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mardinger
authors.forename: Gavriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chaushu
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nissan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000473:pathology; D015921:Dental Implants; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D012308:Risk Management; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants