title: Dental Implant Length and Diameter: A Proposed Classification Scheme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To propose a length-and-diameter-based classification scheme for dental implants to standardize terminology in the dental literature and communication between interested parties.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was mainly based on searching two major resources: published scientific research papers and 14 of the most popular dental implant manufacturers. Indexed databases were searched from January 2004 up to and including February 2016 using the keywords "dental implant length" and "dental implant diameter." Retrieved titles and abstracts were screened, and related full-text articles were reviewed. Full-text articles that clearly stated the terms and measurements of implants used were included and considered for proposing this classification scheme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial search for implant diameter and length yielded 1007 and 936 articles, respectively. A total of 85 studies (41 about diameter, 44 about length) were selected and reviewed. The remaining studies (966 about diameter, 892 about length) that did not abide by the eligibility criteria were excluded. The terms "long," "short," "standard," "wide," and "narrow" were the most commonly used terms in the literature. A classification scheme for implants by diameter and length was proposed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indexed publications contain a variety of terms used by authors to describe diameter and length of dental implants without conformity and standardization. The classification scheme proposed in this article could serve as a reference for interested parties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sulieman S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Al-Johany
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Al Amri
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Suliman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alsaeed
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alalola
mesh_terms: D015921:Dental Implants / Q000145:classification*; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: Dental implant; classification; diameter; length; size