PERIODONTAL PARAMETERS AROUND POROUS-COATED DENTAL IMPLANTS AFTER 3 TO 4 YEARS SUPPORTING OVERDENTURES

In this study, an assessment using modified periodontal indices was do ne on a group of 48 fully edentulous patients who had each been treate d with 3 porous-coated (EndoPore(TM)) dental implants and a mandibular overdenture. Parameters assessed included plaque index (PI), sulcular bleeding index (SBI), pocket probing depth (PD), probing attachment l evel (PAL) and mobility (M) using a Periotest device. At the time of t he assessment, all of the patients had passed 3 years of continuous fu nction while 26 had passed 4 years. Approximately 50% of implant surfa ces were plaque-free while 79% of surfaces showed no bleeding upon pro bing. There was no correlation between PI and SBI. The mean PD was 3.1 mm with 64% of sites less than or equal to 3.5 mm. Mobility measureme nts taken with the Periotest device gave a mean PTV of (-4.35) with 96 % of measurements (-0.5). No significant correlations were found betwe en mobility and either PAL or implant length.