A systematic review of observational studies evaluating implant placement in the maxillary jaws of medically compromised patients

Background: Even though the efficacy of implant treatment and the excellent success rates that modern implant surfaces yield remain unchallenged, there is limited information available on implant success rates in medically compromised patients. Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the survival of implants placed in the maxillary jaws of medically compromised patients. Materials and Methods: Two reviewers using predefined selection criteria performed an electronic search complemented by a manual search, independently and in duplicate. Results: After the final selection, 11 studies reporting on four distinct medical conditions were included out of 405 potentially eligible titles. In detail, three studies reported on implants placed in diabetic patients, six on implants placed in patients with a history of oral cancer, one on implants in patients with a history of epilepsy, and one on implants in patients with autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions: Placement of maxillary implants in medically compromised patients seems to yield acceptable survival rates. Implant survival in well-controlled diabetic patients, patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and patients treated for severe epilepsy is comparable to that in healthy patients. Implants placed in the maxillae of patients treated for oral cancer may attain osseointegration less predictably than in the mandible.