ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomaterials
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1631745
Radiographic Evaluation of Narrow-diameter Implants from Different Systems for Two Years
Provisionally accepted
- 1Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan, China
- 2School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Background: Narrow-diameter implants (NDIs) offer a viable alternative to bone augmentation in sites with limited alveolar ridge width. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the radiographic marginal bone loss (MBL) and survival rate of NDIs from three different systems after two years of functional loading. Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 109 NDIs from three brands (30 Straumann®, 38 Thommen, and 41 Osstem) in 78 patients were evaluated. Patient records from 2013 to 2023 were screened. Mesial and distal MBL were measured on periapical radiographs at implant loading and at 3, 6, 12, and 24-month follow-ups. MBL was compared based on implant system, gender, and implant location (anterior/posterior, maxilla/mandible). Results: The overall two-year implant survival rate was 98.17%. Two implants failed within the first 6 months. The mean MBL at 24 months was 1.67 ± 0.66 mm. Straumann® implants (made of TiZr alloy) showed significantly less MBL than Osstem implants (made of Grade IV titanium) at multiple time points (P < 0.05). Female patients exhibited significantly higher mesial MBL than male patients at 6 and 12 months (P < 0.05). Implants in the posterior region showed greater mesial MBL than those in the anterior region at 3 months (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, NDIs demonstrated a high two-year survival rate, supporting their use in anatomically restricted sites. The implant system, particularly the material and design, significantly influenced MBL. The TiZr alloy implant system was associated with the least bone loss. Patient- and site-specific factors, such as gender and posterior location, were also associated with greater MBL in the early healing phase, highlighting the multifactorial nature of peri-implant bone preservation.
Keywords: Narrow-diameter implants, Marginal bone loss, Implant survival, Radiographic evaluation, Titanium-zirconium alloy, Peri-implant bone level
Received: 20 May 2025; Accepted: 23 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Fan, Cheng and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yuanyuan Wang, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.