Impact of excessive occlusal load on successfully-osseointegrated dental implants: a literature review

The aim of the present study was to review the available evidence on the response of the peri-implant bone when subjected to excessive occlusal forces. The search strategy included papers published in English in the Medline database and the Wiley Online Library from January 1991 to December 2011. Experimental or review papers reporting the conditions of the peri-implant bone of dental implants submitted to excessive occlusal loading in the presence of a controlled oral hygiene regime were eligible for inclusion. The knowledge regarding the response of the peri-implant bone when the dental implant is excessively loaded is limited, and the level of evidence is poor. With animal experimental studies showing conflicting results, it is unclear whether occlusal overload might cause marginal bone loss or total loss of osseointegration to already osseointegrated dental implants when the applied load exceeds the biologically- acceptable limit. This biological limit is also unknown. Furthermore, higher remodeling activity of the peri-implant bone is found around implants subjected to high loading forces.