A randomized controlled clinical trial assessing initial crestal bone remodeling of implants with a different surface roughness

Purpose: The aim of current split-mouth study is to compare crestal bone loss of hybrid with moderately rough implants in patients with a bar-supported mandibular overdenture.

Materials and methods: Fully edentulous patients were enrolled for treatment with implant-supported overdentures. Each patient received two implants of which one moderately rough (Sa: 1.3 μm) and one hybrid surface implant (moderately rough implant body [Sa: 1.3 μm] and a minimally rough implant neck [Sa: 0.9 μm]). Beside the difference in implant surface the two implants are identical. After 3 and 12 months, peri-apical radiographs were taken to assess crestal bone levels and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for pairwise comparison.

Results: Forty-two implants were placed in 21 patients and no failures occurred after 1 year. An overall mean crestal bone loss of 0.40 mm (SD: 0.76; range: 0-3.93) and 0.35 mm (SD: 0.59; range: 0-2.56) was registered after a mean follow-up of 3.4 and 15.8 months. There was no statistical significant difference in crestal bone loss between the different implant surfaces or between the different time intervals.

Conclusion: From this randomized controlled trial, it can be concluded that hybrid surface implants may be a viable alternative for implant treatment in the edentulous mandible.