Radiographic evaluation of treatment procedural errors in patients with implant fixtures referring to the Radiology Center of Isfahan Faculty of Dentistry after surgery

Introduction: Despite dentists’ awareness about the priority of preserving natural tissues over replacement of lost teeth, there is fear that treatment plan sequences might not be properly followed, resulting in treatment failure and the relevant complications. The aim of this study was radiographic evaluation of implant fixture errors in patients referring to the Radiology Center of Isfahan Faculty of Dentistry.Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, convenience sampling method was used to select 70 samples of panoramic radiographs, from 51 dentate individuals and 19 edentulous patients with implant fixture, referring to the Radiology Department of Isfahan Faculty of Dentistry. Oral health needs revealed by the panoramic radiographs, requiring treatment before implant placement, were determined for each patient by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist and their prevalence was reported. In addition, the implant site was investigated in terms of its relationship with adjacent structures. To analyze data, descriptive statistical methods were used.Results: In 48% of cases, there was inadequate distance between the posterior implants and the maxillary sinus. In addition, there was inadequate distance between the fixed implant and the adjacent tooth and the mandibular canal in 17% and 11% of patients, respectively. Among the 51 dentate patients with dental implants, the most prevalent error in therapeutic procedures was tooth decay with a frequency of 62.7%, followed by periapical lesions with a prevalence of 41.2%. Conclusion: Under the limitations of the present study, errors are common in implant treatment procedures, and further training is recommended to improve the quality of services.Key words: Implant, Panoramic radiography, Treatment plan.