The Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) has received a $2.91 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, to investigate the causes behind dental implant failures.
Dental implants made from titanium have been widely used to replace missing teeth and are generally considered both safe and effective. However, as more patients receive these implants and retain them for longer periods, dentists are encountering an increasing number of complications. One such complication is peri-implantitis, an inflammatory disease that can damage bone and tissue around the implant, potentially resulting in failure.
“This research addresses a problem that clinicians encounter every day,” said Tom Diekwisch, DMD, PhD, chair of EIOH’s Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. “Dental implants have transformed patient care, but we still do not fully understand why some implants fail. With this support from NIDCR, we’re exploring underlying causes and moving closer to solutions that help implants last longer and perform better.”
The research team includes Xianghong Luan, MD. They are examining various factors that may contribute to implant failure such as inflammation, plaque accumulation, changes in surrounding tissue, and the release of tiny particles from titanium implants over time. Initial findings indicate these elements could disturb bone health around the implant and initiate damaging biological responses.
Dr. Eli Eliav noted that the team is also investigating how natural biological processes might influence implant failure and whether modifying these processes could help protect bone and tissue near dental implants.
