Bruxism and dental implants:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of bruxism on dental implant failure rates andmarginal bone loss (MBL), based on a systematic review of the literature. Materials and methods: An electronic search without time restrictions was undertaken (last updated in September2021) in three databases, plus handsearching. Only studies that provided enough informationon the criteria used for the diagnosis of at least ‘probable bruxism’ (self-report + clinicalexamination) were considered for inclusion. Meta-analyses were performed besides meta-regressions, in order to verify how the odds ratio (OR) was associated with follow-up time. Results: The review included 23 publications. Altogether, there were 1,991 and 9,438 implants placedin bruxers and non-bruxers, respectively. Pairwise meta-analysis including only the studiesthat provided enough information on the criteria used for the diagnosis of at least ‘probablebruxism’ resulted in significant failure rate difference between the groups (OR 1.987, p =0.015). There was an estimated increase of 0.010 in OR for every additional month of follow-up (p = 0.209). None of the included studies reported results on MBL separated betweenbruxers and non-bruxers. Conclusion: Implants placed in bruxers present a significant higher risk of failure than in non-bruxers.Studies comparing MBL between the groups are still lacking.