Biomechanical Factors in the Prognosis of Implants: A Clinical Study

This study aims to assess the impact of occlusal loadings on peri-implant bone loss by measuring the cantilever of each implant and evaluating the occlusal pattern using PRESCALE® and to examine the relationship between occlusal overload and peri-implant bone loss, including marginal bone loss (MBL) and biomechanical factors, in a sample of 41 patients with a total of 135 implants. In addition, this study examines the influence of occlusal overload among patient groups with no marginal bone loss, unilateral bone loss, and bilateral bone loss. The PRESCALE® quantifies the occlusal area and load along the dental arch. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparing quantitative variables between groups and the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was applied to analyze linear relationships between quantitative variables. The results of occlusal distribution and pressure range were presented using the PRESCALE®. It was found that the mesial cantilever was statistically significantly greater (p < 0.05) for the bilateral bone loss group. Additionally, MBL was significantly proportional to occlusal loading in the left anterior sector (r = 0.47; p < 0.01) and to follow-up time (r = 0.29; p < 0.01), though it was also proportional to implant diameter and length (r = 0.27 and r = 0.20). The presence of a wider cantilever and excess occlusal loading appears to be associated with increased bone loss.