Clinical peri-implant outcomes, technical complications, and patient satisfaction with single vs. splinted crown supported implants in the anterior mandible region of diabetic individuals

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical and radiographic peri-implant parameters around narrow diameter implants (NDI) supported single (NDISCs) and splinted crowns (NDISPs) in the anterior maxilla of non-diabetics and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (T2DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and radiographic parameters of NDISC and NDISP were assessed in the anterior mandibular jaw of T2DM and non-diabetic individuals. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), probing depth (PD) and crestal bone levels were recorded. Technical complications and patient satisfaction were also assessed. ANOVA (one-way analysis of variance) was used to compare the inter-group means of clinical indices and radiographic bone loss while Shapiro-Wilk was used to compute the normal distribution of dependent variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (35 males and 28 females) were part of the study out of which 32 were non-diabetics and 31 were T2DM patients. A total of 188 implants (124 NDISCs and 64 NDISPs) having moderately roughened topography were used for the study. The mean glycated hemoglobin in the non-diabetic group was 4.3 while that in the T2DM group was 7.9 with an average diabetic history of 8.6 years. Peri-implant parameters, including PI, BoP, and PD, were comparable between the single crown and splinted crown groups. However, there was a statistically significant difference in PI, BoP, and PD when a comparison was made between the non-diabetes and T2DM groups (p<0.05). An overall 88% of the patients were satisfied with the esthetics of the crowns while 75% of the subjects were satisfied with the function of the crowns. CONCLUSIONS: Narrow diameter implants of both types had satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcomes within non-diabetic and diabetic individuals. However, clinical and radiographic parameters were worse in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients when compared to non-diabetics.