IMPLANT SURVIVAL RATES AND PERI-IMPLANT STATUS IN HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS VERSUS HEALTHY SUBJECTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY AT 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

The increasing application of dental implants underscores a research gap in understanding how Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) influence peri-implant health. This 5-year prospective study compares HIV-infected patients on ART (Test Group = TG) with healthy controls (Control Group = CG). The study involves 57 healthy patients (CG) and 61 HIV-infected subjects under ART (TG). 116 (CG) and 129 (TG) single dental implants were placed. Check-ups occurred at 3, 6, 12 months, and annually. Outcomes include implant survival, surgical complications (primary), and peri-implant parameters such as Marginal Bone Loss (MBL), Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR), Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding on Probing (BoP) and Peri-implant Probing Depth (PPD) (secondary). Lost implants, MBL, and surgical complications were recorded during follow-ups. Peri-implant parameters were detected at the end of the monitoring period. Importantly, no significant differences in implant survival or surgical compl ications between CG and TG were observed, providing reassurance about the safety of dental implants in HIV patients. However, TG displayed unfavorable peri-implant hard and soft tissue parameters, emphasizing potential challenges in HIV patient outcomes. Conclusion: HIV patients under ART may experience increased MBL and poorer peri-implant soft-tissue conditions. No significant differences in implant survival rates and surgical complications were found between healthy and diseased patients.