Impact of tilted implants for implant-supported fixed partial dentures: A systematic review with meta-analysis

The use of tilted implants has been considered a suitable option for completely edentulous patients. However, consensus on their clinical performance is lacking, specifically for partial rehabilitation. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the marginal bone loss and implant survival rate of tilted implants compared with those of axial implants for implant-supported fixed partial dentures (ISFPDs). A systematic search of the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, and ProQuest databases and reference lists for articles published until May 2022 was performed by 2 independent reviewers without language or publication date restrictions. A meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan version 5.4 program. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Nine studies were included, totaling 258 participants and 604 implants (269 tilted implants and 335 axial implants). No significant differences were found between the tilted and axial implants for the implant survival rate (P=.81; risk ratio: 1.14). However, higher marginal bone loss values were observed for tilted implants (P=.001; mean difference: 0.12 mm). No significant heterogeneity was observed in either analysis. No significant relationship was found between tilted and axial implants for ISFPD rehabilitation. However, tilted implants presented greater risks of marginal bone loss than axial implants.