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ABSTRACT

Background: Dental implant surgery is a common treatment for the replacement of lost teeth. Complications can occur during and after all types of surgical procedures. Literature suggests that several medical conditions can increase the risk of complications in relation to surgical treatments.  

Aim: To study if there are any differences in number and types of postoperative complications in healthy and medically compromised individuals that have undergone implant surgery at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, at the University Hospital of Umeå.

Methods: A retrospective study including data of 71 individuals that underwent implant surgery performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons at the University Hospital of Umeå between 2012 and 2022. The subjects were divided into two groups, healthy and medically compromised, based on their medical records. Medically compromised individuals included individuals with diabetes, individuals undergoing anticoagulant therapy or antiresorptive drug treatment or individuals that had previously undergone radiotherapy in the head and neck region or chemotherapy. Postoperative complications up to 6 months after implant surgery were registered including pain, bleeding, infection, and implant failure. 

Results: The complication rate was 4% and only medically compromised individuals exhibited postoperative complications. Implant loss was the most common postoperative complication.

Conclusion: We report only a few postoperative complications following dental implant surgery. No conclusions can be drawn about differences in number and types of postoperative complications in healthy and medically compromised individuals in this material.