Short implants as a alternative to lateral sinus lift

Abstract

The present studies evaluated short implants placement in the posterior maxilla with less than 10mm residual bone height to avoid invasive surgery such as maxillary sinus augmentation through a lateral approach. Two different surgical techniques; flapless surgical technique and flap opening technique were performed. Patients had been treated between the years 2000 to 2009 with different screw implants. 624 short implants, 8 mm in length and different diameters were placed in the partially or completely edentulous maxilla of 156 patients in the posterior maxilla and all patients were restored with fixed prosthesis. The patients mean age was 57 years (range 30 to 84 years) (92 females, 64 males). During stage II surgery and before loading, 25 short implants (4%) were not osseointegrated and were removed. After a mean loading period of 5 years 2 additional short implants were lost. Altogether 27 implants of 624 implants were removed; survival rates were also recorded. The secondary stability (SS) of implants was also evaluated immediately after implant exposures and then each year after first examination. This study showed a cumulative survival rate of 95% for short implants placed in the posterior maxilla.