Characteristics of implant failures in patients with a history of oral bisphosphonate therapy.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the pattern of implant failures reported in a large cohort of patients who received oral bisphosphonate therapy.


METHODS
A total of 8,572 individuals who received oral bisphosphonate drugs returned a dental survey that obtained information pertaining to implant placement and related complications. Among the 589 individuals reporting dental implants, 16 reported implant failures that were verified by dental records. Implant placement, timing of failure, and bisphosphonate duration were ascertained to determine the characteristics of implant loss in the setting of oral bisphosphonate exposure.


RESULTS
Among the 16 patients (all women, aged 70.2 +/- 7.6 yrs) there were 26 implant failures; 8 had failure of 12 implants in the maxilla and 9 had failure of 14 implants in the mandible. Early failure (<or=1 yr after placement) was experienced by 8 patients (8 implants), whereas late failures (>1 yr after placement) occurred in 10 patients (18 implants); 2 patients had both early and late failures.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, few patients reported implant failures. However, among these, there were more late than early failures and a slightly higher proportion of failures in the mandible versus the maxilla. Further studies should investigate the role of chronic bisphosphonate therapy in implant survival and long-term implant osseointegration.
Martin
Daniel C
DC
Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA 94611, USA. cjizzo1@hotmail.com
O'Ryan
Felice S
FS
Indresano
A Thomas
AT
Bogdanos
Pete
P
Wang
Benjamin
B
Hui
Rita L
RL
Lo
Joan C
JC
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D019386:Alendronate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D015921:Dental Implants; D019386:Alendronate