Marginal Bone Loss in Implants with External Connection versus Internal Conical Connection Prior to Prosthetic Loading. A Randomized Clinical Study

Abstract

Introduction: The prosthetic connection of implants has been related to the loss of marginal bone. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone loss around external connection (EC) and internal conical connection (ICC) implants prior to prosthetic loading. Material and methods: A randomized clinical trial (RCT) was carried out, with a sample size of 93 implants (31 EC and 62 ICC) placed in 27 patients. Radiological controls were performed and stability was measured by resonance frequency analysis (RFA) on the day of placement, at 1 month and at 4 months after the placement. Results: Bone loss in EC implants was not statistically different than in ICC implants between the time of placement (T0) and the subsequent month (T1): (EC = 0.18 mm and ICC = 0.17 mm). Between one month (T1) and four months (T2): (EC = 0.39 mm and ICC = 0.19 mm) this difference was highly significant (p = 0.00). Bone loss between T0 and T2 was significantly lower in the ICC (EC = 0.57 mm and ICC = 0.36 mm), (p = 0.01). The overall success rate of the implants was 97.8%. The stability of the implants increased from 70.69 (T0) to 73.91 (T1) and 75.32 (T2). Conclusions: ICC showed less bone loss up to the time of prosthesis placement. Such bone loss did not have a significant impact on bone stability. Long term RCTs are needed to demonstrate whether this bone loss, which is more pronounced at the beginning in EC, tends to stabilize and equate to ICC.