Does an Osteoporosis-like Condition Jeopardize the Osseointegration Process around Dental Implants Placed in Animal Models? A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Introduction: Knowing that osteoporosis is a metabolic disease that could decrease dental implant success and survival, the purpose of this review was to gather information on the characteristics of implant osseointegration in animal models of induced osteoporosis. By pointing out the role of some factors that could improve the success rate in these situations, this study aimed to enhance the knowledge about this process that can be further translated to clinical designs.

Methods: A systematic search in PubMed/Medline, Lilacs, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science was conducted to identify information between 2002 and 2023 regarding osseointegration of dental implants in animal models of induced osteoporosis. The following search strategy was utilized and adjusted to each database: (((dental implant) AND (Osseointegration)) AND (osteoporosis)) AND/OR (osteoporosis treatment). The inclusion criteria were animal studies in English, involving the placement of an osseointegrated implant in osteoporotic bone, and evaluating bone to implant contact (BIC) %. Exclusion criteria were studies in humans, in vitro studies, procedures involving any kind of bone graft and studies evaluating medication related osteonecrosis of the jaw. A standardized data extraction form was used to record data for each study, covering article title, date, authors, number of animals, purpose of study, type of analysis used by authors, follow-up, type of implant, test and control groups, intervention and conclusions. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) Risk of Bias tool.20 Results: A total of 204 articles were found for evaluation and selection. All of the 43 selected studies evaluated the bone-implant contact (BIC) %. Other parameters such as bone to implant mechanical interface, bone area (BA) and bone volume (BV) ratio were also evaluated in some of the studies. There was a tendency for compromised results of implant osseointegration in the presence of osteoporosis. Modification of the implant surface, systemic and local use of anti-resorptive drugs and other substances, showed benefits for the implant success in osteoporotic sites. Still, no consensus among studies on the superiority of systemic medications in improving the process of peri-implant bone repair, was observed.

Conclusion: Although it is possible to improve the osseointegration of implants in osteoporotic bone, either by using systemic or local factors, the metabolic bone syndrome caused by osteoporosis can jeopardize the osseointegration of dental implants.