Long-term clinical, aesthetic and patient-reported outcomes of single implants in the anterior maxilla

Abstract

Single implant replacements with dental implants are frequently performed and have a good long-term prognosis. Historically, the following criteria for implant success were widely used: implant in situ, no mobility, no radiolucency, no more than 0.2 mm vertical bone loss yearly after the first year of function, no pain, no peri-implant inflammation/infection. Today implant survival is not considered the only determinant of clinical success. However, peri-implant bone maintenance is important to maintain stable aesthetics. In an evolving society patients are more critical on the aesthetics and peri-implant health. Also, psycho-social factors are considered important and go beyond implant survival. This PhD thesis highlighted some of the shortcomings in the literature by means of the execution of a number of short-term clinical studies as well as prolongations of clinical trials previously initiated at Ghent University Hospital. The clinical research papers presented in this PhD thesis are based on long-term clinical studies that were initiated a decade ago. The initial one year results were published in a PhD thesis defended successfully in 2011 by Dr Filiep Raes