Forty years of osseointegration research in dental implantology: global trends and science-mapping analysis

Aims: Osseointegration, the biological foundation of dental implantology, has evolved over the past four decades from mechanically and material-oriented approaches to those based on immune response and biological sustainability. However, the holistic development of the field has not been comprehensively evaluated during this period. This study aims to bibliometrically analyze global trends, influential studies, and the thematic evolution of osseointegration research. Methods: Publications classified under the dentistry, oral surgery & medicine category in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection (1983-2024) were evaluated using bibliometric analysis. After filtering, 4.744 articles and reviews were analyzed with the Bibliometrix software through performance assessment, keyword evolution, and author-document-source co-citation analyses. Results: Throughout the years, a consistent increase in publication output was observed, with an average annual growth rate of 14.37%. In terms of the number of publications, the most productive countries were the United States, Brazil, China, Italy, and South Korea. Keyword patterns indicated a shift in research focus from biomechanics-oriented studies toward surface modification, peri-implant tissue health, immunobiology, and regenerative strategies. Co-citation analysis identified Brånemark, Albrektsson, and Buser as central authors, while the Clinical Oral Implants Research and the Journal of Periodontology emerged as the most influential journals in the field. Conclusion: The concept of osseointegration has evolved from a classical model centered on mechanical stability to a dynamic framework that encompasses surface properties, biological processes, and host response. This biologically oriented perspective emphasizes long-term peri-implant health and biological sustainability in implant therapy. The findings suggest that future research should adopt multidisciplinary approaches integrating materials science, osteoimmune mechanisms, and clinical evaluation of peri-implant tissue health.