Diagnostic imaging in dental implantology.

A success rate for osseointegrated implants approaching 100% has been reported. This rate of success has been made possible in part by a comprehensive appraisal of the morphologic features of the proposed implantation site: the quality and quantity of available bone, the presence of pathoses, the inclination of the alveolar process, and the relative location of anatomic structures to the site of implantation. Radiography has been found to be invaluable for the assessment of the proposed fixture site and for the evaluation of the fixture in time after implantation. The question of which radiographic technique to apply, intraoral or extraoral, plain film or digital radiography, remains for the clinician to answer after careful consideration of all variables.