Osseointegrated implants placed at supracrestal level may harbour higher counts of A. gerencseriae and S. constellatus - a randomized, controlled pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed at evaluating the bacterial colonization in dental implants inserted in the crestal or supracrestal position and correlated it to radiographic bone measurements.


METHODS
Thirty-five implants with regular platform in nine patients (mean age 62.4±11.2 years) were inserted either at the bone crest level (control group) or at a suprecrestal level (test group). Radiographic examination was performed at baseline (implant installation) and after 6 months. Clinical and microbiological data were collected after 6 months. Digital radiography was used to assess bone remodeling (marginal bone loss and optical alveolar density). Bacterial profile was analyzed by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization, including a panel of 40 bacterial species.


RESULTS
After 6 months, there were significantly higher counts of Actinomyces gerencseriae (p=0.009) and Streptococcus constellatus (p=0.05) in the test group. No significant differences between test and control groups were observed for marginal bone loss (p=0.725) and optical alveolar density (p=0.975). Probing depth was similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Significantly higher counts of A. gerencseriae and S. constellatus were found in implants placed at the supracrestal level compared to the ones placed at the bone level. No relation was found between the installation level of dental implants and peri-implant bone remodeling.
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Mariana Ribeiro
MR
de Moraes Rego
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Marcelo Ferreira
MF
Torres
Department of Prosthodontics and Dental Materials, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Luiz Carlos
LC
Santiago
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ronaldo
R
Lira-Junior
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Eduardo José Veras
EJ
Lourenço
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Daniel
D
de Moraes Telles
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; cmfigueredo@hotmail.com.
Carlos Marcelo
CM
Figueredo
Actinomyces; Streptococcus; bacteria; bone remodeling; dental implants