RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE PROXIMAL BONE LEVEL BETWEEN TWO IMPLANTS : A 3-YEAR COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN BR$BR{\AA}$NEMARK AND ITI IMPLANTS IN THE MANDIBULAR POSTERIOR REGION

하악 구치부에 식립된 Br${\aa}$nemark 임프란트와 ITI 임프란트에서 임프란트간 치조정간골의 높이변화에 대한 방사선학적 비교

Statement of problem: Br${\aa}$nemark or ITI are two currently most widely used implant systems but with contrasting design, surgical and restoration methods. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare changes and its statistical significance in bone height and shape which may rise due to the differences between two implant systems. Also to analyse the effect of inter-implant distance on annual bone height changes. Material & Method: Those patients who were treated with two or more of either Br${\aa}$nemark or ITI implants at posterior mandibular area at Yonsei University Dental Hospital, Implant Clinic were selected. At annual examination appointments, standardised radiographs using parallel technique were taken. Marginal bone and inter-implant crestal bone changes were measured and following results were obtained. Results: 1) When ITI and Br${\aa}$nemark system were compared, both annual marginal and inter-implant crestal bone height changes in ITI system in the first two years were smaller than Br${\aa}$nemark and they were statistically significant. On the third year, however, there was no statistical difference between two implant systems on their annual bone level changes (p>0.05). 2) The Marginal and inter-implant crestal bone changes were compared when inter-implant distance was less than 4mm. Statistically significant bone level changes were noted on the first year only for ITI implants but in the first and second year for Br${\aa}$nemark implants (p>0.05). 3) When comparing angulation changes between marginal bone and implant fixture, ITI system had smaller angulation changes but the annual changes were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, it could be concluded that Br${\aa}$nemark implant systems had more changes in marginal and inter-implant crestal bone level in the first and second year after loading with statistical significance. Further studies are recommended to see the effects of these bone loss during the first and second year after loading on the long term prognosis of Br${\aa}$nemark Implants.