The effect of type of specialty (periodontology/oral surgery) on early implant failure: a retrospective “Big-Data” study from a nation-wide dental chain in Israel

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate early implant failure rate of implants placed by maxillofacial-oral surgeons and periodontists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A nested case-case study was performed to analyze treatment outcome of 27 oral surgeons and 30 periodontists who performed at least 100 dental implants between 2017 and 2019 in 54 clinics of “Maccabi-Dent,” a nation-wide dental chain. A total of 26,865 implants were evaluated. RESULTS: The early failure rate of 1.3% achieved by the periodontists was lower than the 1.7% early failure rate achieved by oral surgeons. Differences were not statistically different. Oral surgeons in the study cohort were insignificantly older in age, with more years of experience as dentists and as specialists. However, the only parameter found to be a predictor to early implant failure in a linear regression model was related to postgraduate training. Explicitly, the mean number of implants placed during specialty program. This number was higher for the periodontists and found to be significantly contributing predictor to early implant failure. Clinicians’ age and years of experience as dentists or as specialist were not found to be predictors to early implant failure rate. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences were found in early implant failure rate between oral surgeons and periodontists. The number of implants placed during specialty program has a statistical predictive value to early implant failure rate. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Care and attention should be taken to re-evaluate clinical training in the field of implantology during specialty program. To optimize surgeons’ control on treatment outcome.