Dental endosseous implant assessments in a type 2 diabetic population: A prospective study

Diabetes mellitus, a prevalent disorder worldwide, is associated with syste mic adverse sequelae, such as wound healing alterations, which may affect o sseointegration of dental implants. This prospective multicenter study asse ssed the success of 2-stage endosseous root-form implants (3 different impl ant systems) placed in the mandibular symphysis of 89 male type 2 diabetic subjects. The implants were uncovered approximately 4 months after placemen t, restored with an implant-supported, Hader bar clip-retained overdenture, and maintained at scheduled follow-up data collection examinations for 60 months after loading. Sixteen (9.0%) of the 178 implants failed. Life table methods calculated implant survival at approximately 88%, from prosthesis placement through the 60-month follow-up, and at approximately 90% from imp lant placement through the observation period. No implants failed between s urgical placement and uncovering, 5 failed at uncovering, 7 failed after un covering before prosthesis placement, and 4 failed after prosthesis placeme nt Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values were determined before implant placement (baseline) and approximately 4 mon ths later at surgical uncovering (follow-up). The 5-year implant outcomes ( successes versus failures) were analyzed against the following predictor va riables: (1) baseline and followup FPG values, (2) baseline and follow-up H bA1c values, (3) subject age, (4) duration of diabetes (years), (5) baselin e diabetic therapy, (6) smoking history, and (7) implant length. Regression analysis found only duration of diabetes (P < .025) and implant length (P < .001) to be statistically significant predictors of implant failure. Ther e was no statistically significant difference in failure rates between the 3 different implant systems used. This study supports the use of dental imp lants in type 2 diabetic patients.