Straumann Brand Fares Well in Implant Survival Study

Effectiveness of Implant Therapy Analyzed in a Swedish Population: Early and Late Implant Loss J. Derks, J. Håkansson, J.L. Wennström, C. Tomasi, M. Larsson, and T. Berglundh J. Dent Res. 2015;94(3 Suppl):44s-51s.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have published a landmark study analyzing the short- and long-term effectiveness of dental implants in a large number of randomly selected patients. Among the basic findings is that implant success is influenced by brand, with Straumann performing favorably.

Using the national data register of the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, the investigators gained unique access to the records of 2,765 patients treated in 2003 with a total of 11,311 implants. This is exceptional in that most studies on treatment outcomes in implant dentistry have assessed survival rates only in small, selected groups of patients treated in university clinics or by specialists. Information on the patients, treatment procedures, and outcomes was obtained from the records, which had been collected by more than 800 clinicians. In addition, the study included a clinical evaluation of 596 patients approximately 9 years after their treatment had been completed.

Ten different implant brands were included, with Straumann and two other brands being the most-used in the study. In addition to reporting the percentages of early and late implant losses, the study presented the relative probability of implant loss as shown by “odds ratios.” Compared with Straumann, the odds ratios for early implant failure were approximately two times higher (statistically significant) with the other two widely used brands, and more than five times higher (not statistically significant) for late failure. The ratios for early failure with the other implant brands collectively were nearly eight times higher, and almost 60 times higher for late failure (both statistically significant).