title: Do implant length and width matter for short dental implants (<10 mm)? A meta-analysis of prospective studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This meta-analysis of prospective clinical trials was conducted to determine the effects of dental implant length and width on implant survival rate of short (<10 mm) implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic search of the PubMed database for relevant studies published in English from November 1998 to March 2012 was performed. Selected studies were randomized clinical trials, human clinical trials, or prospective trials with a clear aim of investigating the success or survival rate of short (<10 mm) implants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were subsequently analyzed. A total of 525 short (<10 mm) dental implants were analyzed, of which 253 were 3.5 mm in diameter (48.19%), 151 were 4.0 mm (28.76%), 90 were 4.1 mm (17.14%), 21 were 4.8 mm (4%), and 10 were 5.1 mm (1.9%). All implants included in this meta-analysis had a follow-up period of 12 to 72 months. The included studies reported on the survival rate and diameter of the implants. Six of the studies used "short implants" (7 to 9 mm), and the remaining were classified as "extra-short implants" (≤ 6 mm). Five-year estimated failure rates were 1.61% and 2.92%, respectively, for extra-short and short implants (z = -3.49, P <0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.51% to 4.10%). Furthermore, it was found that the wider the implant, the higher the failure rate (estimated failure rate = 2.36%, 95% confidence interval = 1.07% to 5.23%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neither implant length nor width seemed to significantly affect the survival rate of short implants (<10 mm). Nonetheless, further well-designed randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
authors: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Monje
authors: Jia-Hui
authors: JH
authors: Fu
authors: Hsun-Liang
authors: HL
authors: Chan
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Suarez
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Galindo-Moreno
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Catena
authors: Hom-Lay
authors: HL
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants