Tobacco Smoking and Smoke‐Free Products as Risk Factors for Dental Implants: A Systematic Review

TL;DR

This review finds that smoking increases the risk of dental implant failure and bone loss, while data on smoke-free products is limited.

Contribution

The study systematically evaluates the impact of tobacco and smoke-free products on dental implant outcomes using meta-analysis.

Findings

Smoking significantly reduces dental implant survival and increases bone loss.

Peri-implantitis is more common in smokers.

There is insufficient data on the effects of smoke-free products.

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of tobacco smoking and smoke‐free products as risk factors for dental implants.

Three databases were searched to identify studies reporting on the risk of implant failure/survival in tobacco smokers or smoke‐free users as compared to non‐smokers in studies with ≥ 1 year of follow‐up post‐implant loading. Data on biological complications and radiographic peri‐implant crestal bone loss (CBL) were also collected. Meta‐analyses computed the Odds Ratio (OR) of implant survival with its confidence interval by applying the DerSimonian and Laird's random effect method, with p set at < 0.01.

Forty‐five articles reporting on 44 studies were included, 41 of which reported on the effect of cigarette smoking, with a follow‐up from 1 to up to 17 years. Overall, a significantly reduced implant survival both at implant and patient level was indicated in cigarette smokers (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.27; 0.61, p < 0.001 and OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.20; 0.90, p = 0.02, respectively). An increased CBL of 0.64 mm (95% CI 0.29; 0.99, p < 0.001) was also suggested in cigarette smokers, and the majority of studies reported a higher incidence of peri‐implantitis. Insufficient data are available for smoke‐free users.

Although tobacco smoking is not considered an absolute contraindication for implant therapy, evidence indicates that it has a detrimental effect on peri‐implant tissues, leading to an increased risk of implant failure and crestal bone loss. Individual behavioural counselling for smoking cessation should always be integrated in the treatment plan of patients receiving implant‐supported rehabilitations.

PROSPERO number: CRD42024628116

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