Clinical evaluation of an implant maintenance protocol for the prevention of peri-implant diseases in patients treated with immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitations

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the outcomes of an implant maintenance protocol for implants supporting a full-arch rehabilitation. Materials and methods: Sixty-one patients (28 women and 33 men) treated with immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitation, both mandibular and maxillary, supported by a combination of two tilted and two axial implants, were included in the study. Patients were scheduled for follow-up visits every 6months for +2years, then yearly up to 4years. Each patient received professional oral hygiene treatment and detailed oral hygiene instructions. During each visit, modified plaque index, bleeding index and probing depth were assessed. The presence of peri-implant tissue inflammation was also evaluated. Results: Mean observation time, considering both mandible and maxilla, was 18.3months ranging from 6months to 5years. Both plaque and bleeding indexes frequency decreased over time. Probing depth was stable (2.46±0.5mm at 4years). Only three implants were lost due to peri-implantitis (1.4% at 12months), whereas the incidence of peri-implant mucositis was less than 10% in each considered period. Conclusions: The adoption of a systematic hygienic protocol is effective in keeping low the incidence of peri-implant mucositis as well as in controlling plaque accumulation and clinical attachment loss.