Straumann Bone Level Implant NIS: Success in all approved indications

Implant manufacturer Straumann has published an update on the Straumann Bone Level Implant Non-Interventional Study (NIS) currently in progress.

As results from clinical trials with dental implants can be affected by a number of factors, including the choice of centre and the patient inclusion/exclusion criteria, it may be difficult to extrapolate the high success and survival rates achieved in formal clinical trials with a specifically defined group of patients treated by expert clinicians, to an everyday clinical practice setting.

The aim of the non-interventional study therefore was to document the success and survival rate of Bone Level Implants when used for all approved indications in daily practice for up to 3-years

As of July 2008, 843 patients had been treated with 1501 implants. Dental risk factors (e.g. bone defects, bruxism, periodontitis, insufficient oral hygiene) were noted in 38.3% of patients, while systemic risk factors were noted in 13.8%. Most patients received one or two implants (Figure 1); the mean number of implants per patient was 1.8. Almost half (47%) of the implants were placed in the aesthetic zone (Figures 2 and 3).

Most implants (56.4%) were placed using the submerged technique; 34.7% were placed transmucosally and 8.5% were placed semi-submerged. Augmentations were performed at just over half (55%) of the locations. Conventional loading was used in the majority (61.6%) of cases. Of the 578 final restorations documented, 348 (60.2%) were single crowns, 165 (28.6%) were bridges, 44 (7.6%) were full prostheses, and 11 (1.9%) were partial prostheses. To date, only 12 implants have been lost.

The data obtained with the NIS demonstrates the excellent success of the Straumann Bone Level Implant in daily practice, in all approved indications, and the results are comparable to those achieved in controlled clinical trial settings.