Osseoperception in Dental Implants : A Systematic Review

PURPOSE: Replacement of lost teeth has significant functional and psychosocial effects. The capability of osseointegrated dental implants to transmit a certain amount of sensibility is still unclear. The phenomenon of developing a certain amount of tactile sensibility through osseointegrated dental implants is called osseoperception. The aim of this article is to evaluate the available literature to find osseoperception associated with dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To identify suitable literature, an electronic search was performed using Medline and PubMed database. Articles published in English and articles whose abstract is available in English were included. The articles included in the review were based on osseoperception, tactile sensation, and neurophysiological mechanoreceptors in relation to dental implants. Articles on peri-implantitis and infection-related sensitivity were not included. Review articles without the original data were excluded, although references to potentially pertinent articles were noted for further follow-up. The phenomenon of osseoperception remains a matter of debate, so the search strategy mainly focused on articles on osseoperception and tactile sensibility of dental implants. This review presents the histological, neurophysiological, and psychophysical evidence of osseoperception and also the role of mechanoreceptors in osseoperception. RESULTS: The literature on osseoperception in dental implants is very scarce. The initial literature search resulted in 90 articles, of which 81 articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in this systematic review. CONCLUSION: Patients restored with implant-supported prostheses reported improved tactile and motor function when compared with patients wearing complete dentures

Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research

Texto completo: acesso restrito. p. 186-196Background:  The existing approaches to the treatment of the atrophic maxilla are difficult and involve an element of risk. Purpose:  The aim of the present study was to establish a new surgical/prosthetic protocol for the treatment of extremely atrophic maxillae using four zygomatic implants (ZIs) in an immediate loading system. Materials and Methods:  Twelve patients were treated with the surgical placement of 48 ZIs, and the totally edentulous maxillae were rehabilitated with protocol-type maxillary prostheses rigidly fixed to the ZIs in an immediate loading system. Follow-up was conducted at 6 months and again at 30 months. Results:  Of the 48 ZIs inserted, one implant failed to achieve osseointegration. The prosthetic components fitted well and no sinus pathology was detected in any of the patients. Conclusion:  The surgical/prosthetic protocol showed that it was possible to insert four ZIs in an immediate loading system and achieve stability for up to 30 months