Retrospective multicenter cohort study of the clinical performance of 2-stage implants in South Korean populations.

Purpose: To evaluate long-term follow-up clinical performance of dental implants in use in South Korean populations.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study design was used to collect long-term follow-up clinical data from dental records of 224 patients treated with 767 2-stage endosseous implants at Ajou University Medical Center and Bundang Jesaeng Hospital in South Korea from June 1996 through December 2003. Exposure variables such as gender, systemic disease, location, implant length, implant diameter, prosthesis type, opposing occlusion type, and date of implant placement were collected. Outcome variables such as date of implant failure were measured.

Results: Patient ages ranged from 17 to 71.7 years old (mean age, 45.6 years old). Implants were more frequently placed in men than in women (61% versus 39%, or 471 men versus 296 women). Systemic disease was described by 9% of the patients. All implants had hydroxyapatite-blasted surfaces. Most of the implants were 3.75 mm in diameter. Implant lengths 10 mm, 11.5 mm, 13 mm, and 15 mm were used most often. Differences of implant survival among different implant locations were observed. Implants were used to support fixed partial dentures for the majority of the restorations. The opposing dentition was natural teeth for about 50% of the implants. A survival rate of 97.9% (751 of 767) was observed after 4.5 years (mean, 1.95 +/- 1.2 years).

Conclusion: Clinical performance of 2-stage dental implants demonstrated a high level of predictability. The results achieved with a South Korean population did not differ from results achieved with diverse ethnic groups.