Background: Immediate-load dental implants have provided a bright hope in the edentulous patient group; nonetheless, there is little evidence on the use of this technology in systemically impaired patients, especially in resource-deficient public health practice. This paper compared clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of immediately loaded dental implants to patients with systemic comorbidities in Odisha, India.
Methods: Prospective cohort study was done among 86 patients (124 implants) with controlled systemic comorbidities, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hypothyroidism, and who visited government dental facilities in Odisha. The standardized immediate-loading protocol was used to insert the implants. Marginal bone loss (MBL) and periodontal parameters including probing depth (PD), modified plaque index (mPI) and modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI) were measured at the baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months through a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The analysis was conducted on cost-effectiveness in comparison with traditional delayed-loading protocols.
Findings: The total implant survival rate at 24 months was 94.35. At 12 months, mean MBL was 0.82 +0.31mm and at 24 months, it was 1.14 +0.38mm. The MBL (1.28 ± 0.41 mm) was also higher in diabetic patients than non-diabetic comorbid patients (1.04 ± 0.33 mm; p = 0.03). The periodontal indices were kept in clinically acceptable limits during the study period. The immediate-loading protocol led to the total treatment cost being reduced by 32 percent and a 58 percent decrease in the number of visits made by the patients compared to the traditional protocols.
Conclusion: Immediate-load dental implants have acceptable clinical results in patients with managed systemic comorbidities at 24 months. The protocol is economical and applicable in the context of the public health in areas that are highly experiencing systemic diseases like Odisha.
Keywords: Immediate-load implants; systemic comorbidity; diabetes mellitus; CBCT; marginal bone loss; cost-effectiveness; public health; Odisha.
How to cite this article: Mishra S, Behura SS, Mohanty S, Mohanty S, Samanta A, Clinical Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness of Immediate-Load Dental Implants in Patients with Systemic Comorbidities: A 24-Month Prospective Study Using CBCT and Periodontal Indices in a Public Health Setting in Odisha. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(7s): 8-15; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.7s.2
Source of support: Nil
Conflict of interest: None