Short-term success of osseointegrated dental implants in HIV-positive individuals: a prospective study

Except for the occasional case report, there are no studies evaluating the success rate of osseointegrated dental implants in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study investigated the short-term clinical outcome of implant placement in a group of HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals who required complete dentures. Edentulous subjects were recruited from an HIV-dedicated clinic and a dental school clinic. Two BioHorizons dental implants were placed in the anterior mandible to support an overdenture opposing a maxillary denture. Outcome measurements obtained six months after activation of implants were presence of pain, mobility, soft tissue status, and radiographic bone level. Descriptive statistics were used. Twenty-nine edentulous adults, including 20 HIV-positive subjects (test) and nine HIV-negative subjects (control), participated. The test group had six females, 14 males; 13 Whites, four African-Americans, and three Hispanics with a mean age of 48.9 years (range: 35-59). The mean CD4 count was 467 cells/mm3 (range: 132-948). The control group had six females, three males; seven Whites, and two Hispanics with a mean age of 65.3 years (range: 50-82). Short-term success rate was 100% for both groups. No difference in clinical outcome was found between the groups. This study demonstrated dental implants are well tolerated and have predictable outcomes for HIV-infected individuals for the duration of the study and probably over an even longer term.