The influence of implants insertion depth on marginal bone remodeling: a retrospective clinical study

This study aimed to assess the influence of marginal bone loss around supracrestal and bone-level implants evaluated at various follow-up intervals. To this end, this retrospective study evaluated marginal bone loss using periapical radiographies of dental implants placed between 2019 and 2021 utilizing data from the University database/follow-up. Implants were categorized into two groups: Bone level and tissue level. Radiographic analysis was conducted at three time points: T0 - immediately after implant placement; T1 - after provisional crown installation; and T2 - after definitive prosthesis delivery. All the radiographic measurements were assessed by a blinded and calibrated examiner. Marginal bone loss was measured relative to the mesial and distal bone crests. Statistical analysis employed paired T-tests with Bonferroni correction and ANOVA (p < 0.05). Descriptive analysis was performed within each group and between groups at T0, T1, and T2. Our data included twenty-nine patients with 50 implants placed (32 Bone Level and 18 Tissue Level). Descriptive analysis revealed marginal bone loss in both groups over the follow-up periods, with the bone level group showing significant marginal bone loss only in the distal aspect. The tissue level group also exhibited marginal bone loss, although the values were not statistically significant. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between the groups. In conclusion, our findings showed bone remodeling in both tissue level and bone level implants, with no statistically significant differences between them.