title: Survival of dental implants in patients with Down syndrome: A case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need for tooth replacement in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is explained by the high prevalence of dental agenesis and by the premature loss of teeth through severe periodontal disease. Dental implants may be the dental procedure of choice in some of these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this clinical study was to analyze dental implant survival in a series of patients with DS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study. Information on patients was gathered using a standardized questionnaire designed specifically for this study, including personal details, oral health status, information on the surgical and prosthetic phases, and follow-up visits. The questionnaire was sent to centers registered with the research network of the Spanish Society of Special Needs Dentistry (SEOENE). Patients with DS aged 18 years or older were included in the study if they had at least 1 dental implant and the corresponding prosthesis and had been followed up for at least a year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population was formed of 25 adult patients (13 men and 12 women) aged between 19 and 60 years. The interventions were performed by 5 different dental surgeons, usually under general anesthesia or deep sedation (n=17 patients). A total of 73 implants were inserted, 30 in the maxilla and 43 in the mandible, most commonly in the anterior region (n=51). The mean time to loading the implants was 4.1 ±1.3 months after surgery (range, 1 to 7 months). All patients completed prosthetic rehabilitation; the most frequent design used was the single fixed prosthesis (n=13 patients). A total of 17 (23.2%) implants failed in 8 (32%) patients; the majority (n=14 implants) failed in the postsurgical period before implant loading. The distribution by patients was 1 implant failure in 6 patients, 3 failures in 1 patient, and 8 failures in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental implant survival is lower in individuals with DS than in the general population. The reasons for early implant failure in these patients have still not been clearly identified.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Special Needs Unit and OMEQUI Research Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacobo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limeres Posse
authors.affiliation: Head of Dental Service, Niño Dios Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Head of Stomatology Service, Quirón Hospital, San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ruiz Villandiego
authors.affiliation: (In Memoriam) Senior Lecturer, Special Needs Unit, School of Dentistry, Granada University, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cutando Soriano
authors.affiliation: Associate Clinical Professor, Special Needs Unit and OMEQUI Research Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández Feijoo
authors.affiliation: Clinical Assistant, Quirón Hospital, San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Maialen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linazasoro Elorza
authors.affiliation: Associate Clinical Professor, Special Needs Unit and OMEQUI Research Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Márcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diniz Freitas
authors.affiliation: Professor, Special Needs Unit and OMEQUI Research Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Electronic address: pedro.diz@usc.es.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Diz Dios
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015921:Dental Implants; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004314:Down Syndrome; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants