The success of dental implant therapy relies mainly upon the presence and maintenance of bone adjacent to implant. An 1-year prospective study was performed, upon the patients who were diagnosed as having chronic adult periodontitis, and had been treated with dental implant. The purpose of this study was to measure the radiographic bone level changes proximal to Astra Tech Single Tooth Implants (ATST, Astra Tech AB, MOlndal, Sweden) with microthread and Astra Tech TiOblast Implant (ATTB) without microthread supporting fixed partial prosthesis. Measurements were used to determine mean marginal bone loss during the first year of loading. 17 subjects with its partial prosthesis supported by 37 implants were followed up for an 1-year period. The marginal bone loss of implants was positively correlated with the retention factor, microthread (Microthread™) in crestal area of ATST. The results were as follows.

1. The mean marginal bone loss of ATST was 0.226±0.395mm, while ATTB was 0.440±0.360mm. There was a statistically significant difference between ATST and ATTB (p<0.05).

2. The mean bone loss of the upper jaw fixtures was 0.269±0.265mm for ATST and 0.529±0.417mm for ATTB. There was a statistically significant difference between ATST and ATTB (p<0.05). In the lower jaw the corresponding figures were 0.167±0.231mm and 0.313±0.214mm, respectively. There was no significant difference between ATST and ATTB (p>0.05).

3. The mean bone loss of ATST was lower than that of ATTB at all sites according to bone quality. There was a statistically significant difference between ATST and ATTB at bone quality type III (p<0.05).

In conclusion, the mean bone loss of ATST was smaller than that of ATTB. Therefore, the retention factor of crestal area, microthread (Microthread™) was effective to maintenance of marginal bone level around fixture.