Assessment of immediate clinical outcome and short term prognosis of single tooth dental implants – A case series

Introduction: Dental implant is truly a revolution providing a solution to edentulism. The basis for modern dental implants is a biologic process called osseointegration where materials, such as titanium form an intimate bond to bone. The present study is concerned with assessing the short term treatment outcome of dental implants placed in the current clinical situation. Objectives: To evaluate hard tissue and peri-implant soft tissue changes around the implant and thus assess implant stability during the critical initial period. Materials and Method: A case series study was conducted with twenty patients who presented to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for replacement of single missing tooth. The study was conducted from January 2013 to August 2014. Results: The study group comprised of twenty patients with single missing tooth. There were twelve males and eight females in the study group, in the age group of 33.75 ± 8.8 years, ranging from 19 to 47 years. The parameters of all the implants evaluated were within Carl Misch's success criteria of implants. Mild radiolucency at the crestal portion and bone loss less than 3mm was present in some implants but was included in Misch's success criteria. None of the implants were mobile. Conclusion: The uses of oral implants in the rehabilitation of partially and fully edentulous patients are widely accepted. Evaluation of implant stability and periimplant soft tissue changes of the sample group suggested that all the implants were stable during the critical initial period.