title: Impact of platform switching on inter-proximal bone levels around 8.5 mm implants in the posterior region; 5-year results from a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: To assess the medium-term results of 8.5 mm implants supplied with a conventional platform-matched implant-abutment connection or a platform-switched design.
  
  
  
  Eighty patients with one or more missing teeth in the maxillary or mandibular posterior zone were randomly assigned for treatment with implants with a conventional (control group) or platform-switched (test group) implant-abutment connection. Follow-up visits were conducted 1 month, 1 year and 5 years after functional loading. Inter-proximal bone loss, assessed with standardized peri-apical radiographs, clinical parameters, survival of implants and satisfaction of patients were the outcome parameters studied.
  
  
  
  After 5 years of loading, five of the 80 patients were lost to follow-up. The inter-proximal bone loss in the test group (0.38 ± 0.61 mm) was comparable to the bone loss in the control group (0.41 ± 0.47 mm; p = 0.201). Remarkably, bone loss has not progressed compared to the 1-year results. Implant survival, clinical parameters and satisfaction of the patients were favourable and comparable for the test and control group.
  
  
  
  The 5-years results showed that inter-proximal bone resorption was minor and comparable around platform-matched and platform-switched implants, and implant survival, peri-implant health and patients' satisfaction were favourable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerdien
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Telleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerry M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Raghoebar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vissink
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, Centre for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henny J A
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Meijer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059605:Dental Implant-Abutment Design; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: dental implant; implant-abutment connection; inter-proximal bone level; patients’ satisfaction; platform switching; short implants; survival