Where is the Most Indicated Site for Extra-Oral Implants in the Orbit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: To systematically review the current data to identify the best site for extra-oral implant placement in the orbit. Materials and Methods: Two independent reviewers performed a MEDLINE electronic search using PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify studies published in English from January 2005 until March 2017. A manual search was also performed for additional articles. The meta-analysis was based on the Mantel–Haenszel method. Results: The electronic search identified 173 studies, and the manual search revealed no additional studies (N=173). Two studies meet the eligibility criteria. A total of 271 implants was placed in the orbital rim, of which supra-orbital rim (N=134; 49.5%), infra-orbital rim (N=29; 10.7%), exhibited an implant survival of 73.9%, 72.4%, respectively. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences between supra and infra-orbital rims regarding implant failure (P=0.82). Conclusion: The systematic search resulted in the analysis of only two studies with short-term follow-ups and a reduced number of patients. The limited data collected indicates that there are no differences on both evaluated areas.