The Effect of Single-Tooth Implant Restorations on Prognosis of Adjacent Teeth and on Fractal Dimension of Peri-Implant Trabecular Bone: A Retrospective Study

Background: To investigate the effect of single posterior mandibular implants on the survival, restorative status, pulpal, periapical and periodontal health of the adjacent teeth and surrounding trabecular bone structure. Material and Method: A total of 174 teeth adjacent to single-tooth implants and 174 teeth on the contralateral side were assessed. Survival and restorative, pulpal, periapical, and periodontal status of the teeth were recorded using numerical definitions. Fractal dimension (FD) of the trabecular bone on the mesial and distal sides of the implant and control teeth were measured on panoramic radiographs obtained after implant placement and 1 year after occlusal loading. Results: FD values measured around the teeth adjacent to the implants were significantly increased compared to the baseline (p < 0.001); a decrease was observed in the control group (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the FD values in the mesial and distal regions of the control teeth (p = 0.982), and the teeth adjacent to the implants (p = 0.666). Change in the number of minimally restored teeth showed no difference between regions (p = 0.082), while the number of heavily restored teeth was significantly higher in the control region compared to the implant side (p = 0.032). Conclusions: The fractal dimension of the trabecular bone around the teeth adjacent to the implants increased after occlusal loading of the implants while decreased on the contralateral side. The survival, restorative, periapical, and periodontal conditions of the teeth adjacent to the implants changed minimally after occlusal loading. Amaç: Tek diş posterior mandibula implantlarının komşu dişlerin sağkalımı, restoratif durumu, pulpa, periapikal ve periodontal sağlığı ve çevreleyen trabeküler kemik yapısı üzerindeki etkisini araştırmaktır Gereç ve Yöntemler: Tek diş implantlarına komşu 174 diş ve karşı tarafta 174 diş değerlendirildi. Dişlerin sağkalım ve restoratif, pulpal, periapikal ve periodontal durumları sayısal tanımlarla kaydedildi. İmplantın ve kontrol dişlerin mezial ve distal taraflarındaki trabeküler kemiğin fraktal boyutu (FD), implant yerleştirildikten sonra ve okluzal yüklemeden 1 yıl sonra elde edilen panoramik radyografilerde ölçüldü. Bulgular: İmplantlara komşu dişlerin çevresinde ölçülen FD değerleri başlangıca göre anlamlı olarak arttı (p