The Survival Rate Of Dental Implants Placed By Postgraduate Students

To evaluate the survival rate of dental implants placed by postgraduate periodontology students during the three-year training program. Patients between 2003 and 2022 in ACTA who received dental implants placed by postgraduate students were included in this study. Data from the records of the postgraduate students were entered and analyzed with IBM SPSS. Cumulative implant survival rates were estimated with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Implant survival rates were compared between males and females, smokers and non-smokers, and diabetic and non-diabetic patients using log-rank Mantel-Cox tests. 966 dental implants were examined. The implant survival rates were 98% after 5 years, 97% after 10 years, 95% after 15 years, and 93% after 19 years. The number of implants after 10, 15, and 19 years was 256, 87, and 3, respectively. Implants from smokers and non-smokers had a survival rate of 31% and 98% after 17 years, respectively (p< 0.001). Non-diabetics had a significantly (p< 0.001) higher survival rate (97%) than diabetics after 19 years, with the survival rate going from 61% to 0% after 16 years. A multivariable Cox regression analysis, controlling for smoking, showed no further significant effect on implant survival rates. The survival rates of implants placed by postgraduate students after 5 years are in line with the rates by experienced implantologists. Gender, diabetes, and implant brands have no effect on survival rates. Significantly lower survival rates occur in smokers.