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Risk of implant failure three times higher in patients with bruxism

A study from Malmö University has found that implant failure was more common in patients with bruxism. (Photograph: Srdjan Fot/Shutterstock)

Thu. 3. November 2016

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MALMÖ, Sweden: Affecting up to a billion people worldwide, bruxism is a common disorder that can cause severe damage to the dentition and dental restorations. In addition, the findings of a new study from Malmö University suggest that excessive tooth grinding or jaw clenching may be linked to a higher implant failure risk. In the study, implant failure rates were three times higher in bruxers than in patients without the parafunctional habit.

Aiming to investigate the association between bruxism and the risk of dental implant failure, the researchers analysed data on 3,549 implants that were placed in 994 patients. Of these, 56 patients (with 185 implants in total) suffered from bruxism. Overall, 179 implants were reported as failures among both groups.

Comparing implant failure in patients with bruxism to patients without it, the Swedish researchers found that the failure rates were 13 per cent and 4.6 per cent, respectively. Thus, the risk of losing an implant was almost three times higher in bruxers in the current study.

The analysis further showed that bruxism was more common in men and failure rates were higher for short and wide implants. Other risk factors associated with higher implant failure rates were smoking, Type 1 diabetes, medication for high cholesterol and hypothyroidism, anti-depressant drugs and proton-pump inhibitors.

The researchers concluded that bruxism could be associated with an increased risk of dental implant failure. However, in investigating the underlying causes, other risk factors, including implant length, implant diameter, implant surface, habits such as smoking, and intake of certain medication, have to be taken into consideration as well, the researchers emphasised.

The study, titled “Bruxism and dental implant failures: A multilevel mixed effects parametric survival analysis approach”, was published in the November issue of the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.

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