Background: This retrospective study was set to assess the influence of systemic and local bone and intra-oral factors on the occurrence of implant loss from abutment connection up to 2 years.
Materials and methods: The files of 700 patients, have been collected randomly from the total patient group treated by means of endosseous Brånemark system implants (Nobel Biocare, Gothenburg, Sweden) at the Department of Periodontology of the University Hospital of the Catholic University of Leuven. The end point observation was evaluating the loss of the implants 2 years after abutment installation. The study involved all implants that did not encounter early loss and implants for which it was possible to evaluate its status 2 years after abutment surgery. Thus, data of 412 patients (240 females) provided with 1514 implants were analyzed. For each patient, the medical history was carefully checked. Data collection and analysis were mainly focused on endogenous factors such as hypertension, coagulation problems, osteoporosis, hypo- hyperthyroidism, chemotherapy, diabetes type I or II, Crohn's disease, some local factors [e.g. bone quality and quantity, implant (length, diameter, location), type of edentulism, PTV, radiotherapy], smoking habits, and breach of sterility during surgery.
Results: Radiotherapy, implant (diameter and location), and higher PTV at implant insertion and abutment connection, all affected significantly the implant loss.
Conclusion: Implant location in the oral cavity and radiotherapy seem predominant to explain the occurrence of implant loss. On the other hand, smoking and systemic health factors do not seem to be prominent players in the etiology of late implant loss.