Homocysteine: A Silent Killer for Dental Implants

Dental implants are the most up-to-date and well-researched treatment option for replacing missing teeth.The successful osseointegration of dental implants is a cumulative effect of various factors, such as implant design, implant surface, surgical and prosthetic factors, microbiological factors, and the patient's systemic health.Research literature is overwhelmed with studies on implant risk and failure rates.Various advancements have improved the success rate of implants; however, long-term implant survival is still not adequate in every case.Numerous systemic and local predisposing factors may affect peri-implant bone metabolism, jeopardizing osseointegration, leading to marginal bone loss and delayed implant failure.It has been suggested that controlling bacterial plaque, the microenvironment, and other host factors is necessary to reduce implant failure.However, studies have also suggested avoiding or minimizing proinflammatory biomarkers to reduce marginal bone loss.These factors affecting bone metabolism and bone health have not been fully explored.Therefore, through this article, we aim to explore the role of homocysteine (Hcy) as a biomarker in the long-term stability of dental implants.The findings of this article will serve as a foundation for designing further rigorous studies to explore the impact of Hcy on implant health.