title: Two-implant-supported single molar replacement: interdental space requirements and comparison to alternative options.
abstract: Posterior single-tooth implant restorations are subjected to an increased risk of bending overload. A high incidence of implant fracture has been reported when using a single standard 3.75-mm-diameter implant to support a molar restoration. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the clinical feasibility of placing two implants to support a molar restoration and to compare this treatment option to the use of a single standard implant or a wide-diameter implant. Two osseointegrated dental implants used to support a molar restoration in interdental spaces as small as 10 mm is shown to be effective and predictable in 60 restorations over the past 7 years. The use of two implants provides more surface area for osseointegration and spreads the occlusal loading forces out over a wider area, reducing the potential bending forces that would otherwise exist in a single-implant molar restoration.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Balshi
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wolfinger
mesh_terms: D001732:Bite Force; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies