title: Influence of Implant Shape (Tapered vs Cylindrical) on the Survival of Dental Implants Placed in the Posterior Maxilla: A Systematic Review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this review was to assess the effect of implant shape (tapered vs cylindrical) on the survival of dental implants placed in the posterior maxilla.
  
  
  METHODS
  Databases were searched from 1977 up to and including February 2015 using various key words. Only original clinical studies were included. Experimental studies, letters to the editor, review articles, case reports, and unpublished literature were excluded. The pattern of the present review was customized to mainly summarize the relevant information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five studies were included. The number of patients included ranged between 4 and 29 participants. In total, 7 to 72 implants were placed in the posterior maxilla. Tapered and cylindrical shaped implants were placed in 1 and 1 study, respectively. In 1 study, both 41 tapered and cylindrical implant were placed. In all studies, rough-surfaced and threaded implants were used. Three studies reported the diameter and lengths of implants placed, which ranged between 3.75 to 4 mm and 10 to 20 mm, respectively. The mean follow-up period and survival rate of implants ranged between 19 and 96 months and 84.2% to 100%, respectively. In 1 study, implants were placed subcrestally in the posterior maxilla. Guided bone regeneration was performed in none of the studies. In all studies, participants were nonsmokers and were systemically healthy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no influence of implant shape on the survival of implants placed in the posterior maxilla.
authors.affiliation: *Consultant in Restorative and Implant Dentistry, Dental Department, King Khaled University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. †Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alshehri
authors.forename: Fahad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alshehri
mesh_terms: D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants