Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 01 Oct 2019

Effect of Low-Level Laser Irradiation on Stability and Marginal Bone of Narrow Implants Retaining Overdentures in Moderately Controlled Diabetic Patients

BDS, MSc, PhD,
BDS, MSc, PhD,
BDS, MSc, PhD,
BDS, MSc, PhD, and
BDS, MSc, PhD
Page Range: 391 – 397
DOI: 10.1563/aaid-joi-D-18-00263
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The researchers investigated the influence of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) on implant stability and marginal bone of small-diameter implants retaining mandibular overdentures in patients with moderately controlled diabetes. Twenty patients (mean age = 59.32 ± 4.1 years) with moderately controlled diabetes mellitus (glycated hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] = 8.1%–10.0 %) were rehabilitated by maxillary and mandibular conventional dentures. Two small-diameter implants (3 × 12 mm) were inserted in the canine areas of the mandible and immediately loaded by mandibular dentures. In a split-mouth design, LLLI was applied to 1 of the 2 implants in a random order (study group [SG]); the other implant was left as a control (control group [CG]). For each patient, gallium aluminum-arsenide diode low-level laser (940-nm wavelength, 0.50 ± 2 mW output power, 0.004 cm2 spot size; Epic, Biolase, Inc, San Clemente, Calif) was applied around each implant with total delivered energy of 90 J (equally divided by 6 irradiation points) in 3 sessions. The application was done immediately after implant insertion, 3 days and 1 week after surgery. Implant stability (measured by Periotest) and marginal bone loss (MBL; measured by cone beam computerized tomography) were evaluated at implant loading (T1), 6 months (T6), and 12 months (T12). One implant failed in the CG and no failures occurred in the SG, resulting in 95% and 100% survival rates, respectively. The SG recorded higher Periotest values than the CG at all observation times. However, the difference was significant (P = .039) at T6 only. The SG recorded lower MBL values than the CG. No difference in MBL was detected between groups or peri-implant sites (mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual) at T6 and T12. Within the limits of this study, LLLI had no effect on marginal bone around immediately loaded small-diameter implants retaining overdentures in patients with moderately controlled diabetes. However, it was beneficial in improving implant stability 6 months after overdenture insertion.

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  <sc>Figures 1–3</sc>
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Figures 1–3

Figure 1. Three-mm diameter implants (with ball attachments) installed in a patient's mouth. Figure 2. The metal housings (sockets) picked up to the fitting surface of mandibular denture. Figure 3. Fiber tip used for irradiation.


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  <sc>Figure</sc>
  4
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Figure 4

Measurement of peri-implant bone height. (a) Curved tool bisecting the ridge and the implant mesiodistally (axial view). (b) Panoramic image (mesiodistal view). (c) Cross-sectional image (buccolingual view).


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  <sc>Figure</sc>
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Figure 5

Comparison of marginal bone loss between different sites for both groups at 6 months and 23 months after insertion.


Contributor Notes

Corresponding author, e-mail: M_syad@mans.edu.eg
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