Analysis of surgical referral patterns for endosseous dental implants

Endosseous implants have traditionally been surgically placed by oral and m axillofacial surgeons, periodontists, and general practitioners. The purpos e of this study was to examine surgical referral patterns for patients rece iving implants in the treatment of partial edentulism. The records of 542 p atients who received 1,313 implants between 1993 and 1997 were analyzed. Da ta relative to anatomic area, patient demographics, type of implant system, and any complication encountered were collected. Surgical cohorts were com pared using Wilcoxon's rank-sum or chi-square tests, and complication rates were estimated using survival analysis methods. Results indicate no signif icant difference (P > .05) between cohorts with regard to placement of impl ants in the anatomic locations of the anterior mandible, anterior maxilla, posterior mandible, and posterior maxilla. Patient demographic information was not statistically different, with the exception of mean patient age, wh ere oral and maxillofacial surgeons have seen younger patients (P < .0001). Relatively few complications were seen, with no significant difference in complication rates between cohorts (P > .05). The type of implant system us ed showed no significant difference with respect to anatomic location or co mplication occurrence (P > .05). This study indicates that implant surgical referral patterns were similar in this setting between peri odontal and or al and maxillofacial surgeons, with the only difference being a tendency to refer younger patients to the oral surgeons.