Dental implants: major considerations in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis and the dissemination of COVID-19 has presented significant challenges for dentistry. The risk of nosocomial transmission meant that routine dental care was temporarily suspended in several countries. In this sense, several measures have been proposed by national and international guidelines to minimize the risk of infection. Thus, dental care during the pandemic is challenging due to the high risk of infection. Objective: The present study performed a concise systematic review of dental implants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to highlight the main challenges and guideline-based safety strategies. Methods: This was followed by a systematic literature review model, according to the PRISMA rules. The research was carried out from July 2021 to October 2021 and developed based on Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, Scielo, and Cochrane Library. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument. The risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: After the selectivity of articles and literary findings, 127 studies were analyzed, with only 15 medium and high-quality studies selected, according to GRADE rules, and with risks of bias that do not compromise scientific development, based on the Cochrane instrument. To help protect patients from acquiring COVID-19 from a dental office nosocomial infection, many state or local governments have classified dental treatments as non-essential. Dentists were instructed to perform only procedures designated as emergencies. In this sense, dentistry is making great strides in improving oral health through the prevention of dental diseases, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The detected relationship between the stage of dental damage and the severity and prognosis of viral disease was considered significant.

Assessment of studies on oral manifestations and COVID-19

“…In the present review, these studies were most of the analytical observational studies found. Being aware that the hierarchical scale of evidence is not linear 70 and when well conducted, a cohort study can be very reliable 71 .…”