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This study examined the association between a dental implant and changes in adjacent teeth over time. Electronic health records of 1818 patients who received a dental implant were retrospectively evaluated over 14 years (2005-2019) in a university setting. The status of the adjacent tooth and vertical and horizontal distance from the implant platform to adjacent teeth were determined using digital intraoral radiographs taken at baseline and the last follow-up visit (1-14 years, median 4 years). In total, 1085 dental implants were evaluated. There were 234 instances of a change in the adjacent tooth. Decay was observed in 83 (7.6%) of adjacent teeth; the mean time to development was 4 years (range 1-14 years). Approximately 9% of adjacent teeth received direct restorations, 4.8% received indirect restorations, 1% received endodontic root canal treatment, and 5.6% were extracted. The mean horizontal distance between the implant platform and the adjacent teeth was 3.56 mm; the mean vertical distance from the contact point to the alveolar crest on the tooth side was 6.2 mm at the first time of the reported decay on X ray. These distances did not significantly influence the occurrence of caries. The prevalence of interproximal contact loss was higher on the mesial of the implant crown at 63% compared with 20% on the distal side. This large retrospective analysis identified that teeth adjacent to a dental implant were at risk of decay and changes in their condition. In addition, the implant-to-tooth distance and inadequate emergence profile may contribute as caries risk factors in addition to hygiene and a high sugar level diet. These findings appear essential for clinicians when making treatment decisions and discussing outcomes with patients.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of white spot lesions (WSL) in orthodontic patients in an academic setting. Specific aims include using a novel combination to measure plaque accumulation (PA) and detect the association between WSL and PA and the associations between multiple independent variables., Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected on 111 patients. To enhance standardization, a combination of plaque-disclosing agents and standardized intraoral photographs was used to analyze plaque index (PI) and WSL for all teeth except molars. Factors including time in fixed appliances (FA), number of teeth, location of the lesions, and demographic information were reported. A multiple linear regression model was used to detect associations between the PI and WSL and the independent variables (P <0.05)., Results: Approximately 79.3% of participants had at least one WSL, with a mean of 4 affected teeth per patient. A significant association was found between time in FA and the more severe PI reporting (P <0.001). There was no significant association between WSL and PI or the other variables. WSL was greater in the maxilla than in the mandible. PI was greater on the left than on the right side. Interexaminer reliability was assessed for PI and WSL (κ = 0.93 and 0.92)., Conclusions: The prevalence of WSL for orthodontic patients treated at this institution was greater than previously reported in the literature. In addition, the severity of PI was associated with increased time in FAs. Combining the proposed method of reporting PA facilitates standardization, calibration, and documentation in an academic environment., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)