Short Implants in Partially Edentulous Maxillae and Mandibles : A 10 to 20 Years Retrospective Evaluation

Abstract EN

Purpose.

Evaluation of the short implant (8 mm in height) long-term prognosis and of the implant site influence on the prognosis.

Methods.

A longitudinal study was carried out on 121 patients (57 males and 64 females) consecutively treated with 257 implants.

108 implants were short.

Results.

Four (3.6%) short implants supporting fixed partial prostheses failed.

Similarly, three standard implants supporting fixed partial prostheses and one supporting single-crown prosthesis failed.

Mean marginal bone loss (MBL) and probing depth (PD) of short and standard implants were statistically comparable (P>.05).

The 20-year cumulative survival rates of short and standard implants were 92.3 and 95.9%, respectively.

The cumulative success rates were 78.3 and 81.4%.

The survival rates of short implants in posterior and anterior regions were comparable: 95 and 96.4%, respectively.

The difference between survival rates was not significant (P>.05).

Conclusions.

The high reliability of short implants in supporting fixed prostheses was confirmed.

Short and standard implants long-term prognoses were not significantly different.

The prognosis of short implants in posterior regions was comparable to that of in anterior regions.

Nevertheless, a larger sample is required to confirm this trend.