A radiographic evaluation of bone healing around submerged and non-submerged dental implants in beagle dogs.

Background: The rehabilitation of the oral cavity with dental implants has become a predictable treatment modality. However, there have been only a few direct comparisons evaluating the submerged and nonsubmerged placement techniques. The purpose of this study was to characterize radiographic peri-implant bone changes following the insertion of submerged and nonsubmerged implants in the beagle dog.

Methods: At the end of the extraction healing phase, 19 submerged and 19 nonsubmerged implants were randomly placed in a split-mouth study design and observed over an 18-week period. For submerged implants, a second stage surgery and transmucosal abutment attachment was performed at week 12. Standardized dental radiographs taken at baseline, week 12, and week 18 were used to measure peri-implant bone changes. The radiographs were analyzed with a simple computer assisted method.

Results: A total of 43 standardized radiographs were exposed to evaluate the 38 implants. During the study period, all submerged and nonsubmerged implants demonstrated peri-implant bone loss. At baseline, both submerged and nonsubmerged implants had similar bone levels (P > or = 0.05). When the mean peri-implant bone levels for submerged and nonsubmerged implants were compared from baseline to week 12, nonsubmerged implants had a significantly greater amount and rate of bone resorption than submerged implants (P < or = 0.05). Following week 12, the initially submerged implant had a significantly higher rate and amount of peri-implant bone loss than the nonsubmerged implants (P < or = 0.05). However, by the end of the study period, week 18, both submerged and nonsubmerged implants had comparable bone levels (P > or = 0.05).

Conclusions: The study indicates that, although the temporal patterns of peri-implant bone resorption differed, there were no differences between submerged and nonsubmerged implants in the overall amount and rate of peri-implant bone loss.