The Relationship between Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Experience and Dental Implant Angulation Accuracy

Abstract

AIM: Dental implant placement requires precise angulation for long-term success and optimal restoration function. Therefore, this study explores the potential association between the experience of oral and maxillofacial surgeons and the accuracy of implant angulation, including its relationship to neighboring teeth and other implants.    METHODS: This retrospective study included 80 patients involving dental implants, each assessed through postoperative panoramic X-rays. Computer software was employed to measure the angle between the longitudinal axis of the selected implant and adjacent reference points. An angle less than 180° denoted convergence of the implant, while an angle greater than 180° indicated divergence.    RESULTS: The average angle regarding the implant-tooth relationship on the mesial side was 177.74 ± 6.94 (convergent), while on the distal side, it was 182.39 ± 7.77 (divergent). There were no statistically significant variations in insertion angles between procedures performed by experienced specialists (with over 5 years of expertise) and those performed by residents (with less than 5 years of experience). In comparing implants on the right side of the mouth to those on the left, given that all the surgeons were right-handed, no statistical significance was found for either the mesial reference (177.56 ± 7.44 vs. 178.06 ± 6.04, p = 0.76) or the distal reference (182.01 ± 8.38 vs. 183.15 ± 6.52, p = 0.53). However, a statistically significant difference was identified between the inclinations of implants towards the mesial reference compared to the distal inclinations in both cases (p = 0.005 for the right side and p = 0.004 for the left side).    CONCLUSIONS: In summary, satisfactory axial relationship in implant placement is effectively attained by both oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists and residents. Notably, implants consistently show a mesial inclination, irrespective of the specific side of the mouth. Additional research is needed to uncover the root cause of this inclination bias, aiming to promote the parallel alignment of implants with reference structures.