The Effect of One-Abutment at One-Time on Marginal Bone Loss Around Implants Placed in Healed Bone: A Systematic Review of Human Studies

Objectives: The primary aim of the present article was to review the effect and the clinical significance of abutment dis- and reconnection on the peri-implant marginal bone levels. Materials and methods: English articles published from 2009 to April 2019 were identified on the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases, according to the PRISMA guidelines. Comparative in vivo studies on humans were included. Results: A total of 4 studies with different levels of bias were included in this review. A significant heterogeneity of the reported data was observed, which limited the comparison of the findings. The only parameter that was homogenous throughout all 4 studies was the marginal bone level measurement. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present review, it can be suggested that minimizing the number of abutment dis- and reconnections would be beneficial to ensure minimal disruption to the peri-implant tissue and marginal bone level. However, the clinical significance of the marginal bone level changes is still inconclusive.