Immediate implant-prosthetic dental rehabilitation of patients with diabetes using four immediately loaded dental implants: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) involves endocrine changes that cause a persistent increase in blood glucose. Many disorders are associated with T2DM, including disorders that affect the oral cavity. Oral cavity disorders interfere with a patient’s capacity to follow a correct diet, which results in worsening systemic disease. Oral rehabilitation is necessary for patients with T2DM. Therefore, this prospective study was performed to evaluate the immediate dental rehabilitation capacity of patients with T2DM using four immediately loaded dental implants. METHODS: In this prospective study, four implants each were placed in four patients with T2DM and loaded within 24 hours. Demographic characteristics were assessed at baseline; systemic and oral health parameters were assessed at baseline and at 6 months after implant placement. RESULTS: The mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level was 7.05% (range, 6.8%–7.3%). The mean Implant Stability Quotient of the dental implants was 74.5 (range, 67–85). Postoperative evolution was favorable: only one implant exhibited inflammation of the prosthetic stump. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate prosthetic rehabilitation using four maxillary dental implants was an effective treatment modality for patients with T2DM in this study. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.