Short implants placed one-stage in maxillae and mandibles: a retrospective clinical study with 1 to 9 years of follow-up.
BACKGROUND
The use of short implants (7-8.5 mm) has historically been associated with lower survival rates than for longer implants. However, recent clinical studies indicate that short implants may support most prosthetic restorations quite adequately, but still clinical documentation is sparse.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to report on the placement of short Brånemark implants, testing the hypothesis that short implants in atrophied jaws might give similar long-term implant survival rates as longer implants used in larger bone volumes.


METHODS
This retrospective clinical study included 237 consecutively treated patients with 408 short Brånemark implants supporting 151 fixed prostheses. One hundred thirty-one of the implants were 7-mm long, and 277 were 8.5-mm long. Final abutments were delivered at the time of surgery, and final prostheses were delivered 4 to 6 months later.


RESULTS
One hundred and twenty six of the 7-mm implants (96%) have passed the 1-year follow-up; 110 (84%), the 2-year follow-up; and 88 (67%), the 5-year follow-up. Five implants failed in four patients before the 6-month follow-up, giving a cumulative survival rate of 96.2% at 5 years. The average bone resorption was 1 mm (SD=0.6 mm) after the first year and 1.8 mm (SD=0.8 mm) after the fifth year of function. Two hundred sixty nine of the 8.5-mm implants (97%) have passed the 1-year follow-up; 220 (79%), the 2-year follow-up; and 142 (51%), the 5-year follow-up. Eight implants failed in seven patients before the 6-month follow-up, giving a cumulative survival rate of 97.1% at 5 years. The average bone resorption was 1.3 mm (SD=0.8 mm) after the first year and 2.2 mm (SD=0.9 mm) after the fifth year of function.


CONCLUSIONS
The cumulative survival rates of 96.2 and 97.1% at 5 years for implants of 7.0- and 8.5-mm length, respectively, indicate that one-stage short Brånemark implants used in both jaws is a viable concept.
Maló
Paulo
P
Department of Implantology, Maló Clinic, Lisbon, Portugal. research@clinicamalo.pt
de Araújo Nobre
Miguel
M
Rangert
Bo
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000145:classification; D000044:Dental Abutments; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013499:Surface Properties; D016019:Survival Analysis
D015921:Dental Implants