Does COVID-19 Disease Affect Dental Implant Success Rate?

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemics, spreading rapidly all over the world continues to affect the world even though vaccines are being applied [1]. The authors of this study recently observed that the dental implant success rates decrease in patients with COVID-19 disease after dental implant surgery. In a group of 14 patients, 85 dental implants were placed, and 4 of the implants were failed. It was observed that all the patients with failed implants had a positive COVID-19 test 4-6 weeks after the surgery. Six of the 14 patients were affected by COVID-19 and 4 out of 42 implants applied to these patients were failed. All implants were placed by the same surgeon using the same brand of an implant with appropriate primary stability. Only one of these patients had pain during the recovery period, but all other 5 patients with implant failure have no symptoms. Radiological examination reveals neck resorption in only one of the 4 failed implants. This situation brought to the mind of the authors that COVID-19 disease could have negative effects on osteointegration and the success rate of dental implant surgery. After a review of the recent literature, clinically similar results were explained, stating COVID-19 disease may negatively affect bone osseointegration [2].