Shorter Dental Implants: A Viable Option

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology suggests that shorter dental implants are a viable option compared to longer dental implants among patients with limited ridge height in the posterior maxilla.

Study Overview

The study was conducted to compare implant survival and complication rates between shorter and standard-length implants with sinus augmentation, restored with single crowns, over a 10-year period of loading. One hundred and one patients (137 implants) with a ridge height of 5–7 mm in the posterior maxilla were randomly assigned to two treatment modalities:

• Shorter implants (6 mm) (Group Short [GS])
• Standard-length implants (11–15 mm) with sinus grafting (Group Graft [GG])

Following the insertion of final restorations, patients were regularly recalled for up to 10 years. Assessed outcomes included implant survival, marginal bone levels (MBLs), biological and technical parameters, and patient-reported outcome measures (OHIP-49 = Oral Health Impact Profile). Non-parametric statistical analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results

For the 5- to 10-year follow-up period, 77 patients with 105 implants (GS: 36 patients/48 implants; GG: 41/57) were available for re-examination (drop-out rate 21%).

• Implant survival rates at the patient level were 96.0% (GS; 2 failures) and 100% (GG) (inter-group p = .24).
• Median MBLs amounted to 0.00 mm (min 0.00; max 3.25; GS) and 0.00 mm (min 0.00; max 4.55; GG) (inter-group p = .73).
• Technical complications predominantly occurred within the first 5 years (inter-group p > .05).
• Peri-implantitis rates were 4.2% (GS) and 13.3% (GG) (inter-group p = .37).
• Median OHIP-49 scores were 7.00 (0.00; 39.00; GS) and 9.00 (0.00; 196; GG) (inter-group p = .61) at 10 years.

Based on similar 10-year implant survival rates, reduced patient morbidity, and lower costs, the use of shorter dental implants might serve as an alternative treatment concept to longer implants placed in conjunction with sinus grafting for patients with a limited ridge height in the posterior maxilla.

Reference

Thoma, D. S., Haas, R., Sporniak-Tutak, K., Garcia, A., Taylor, T. D., Tutak, M., Pohl, V., & Hämmerle, C. H. F. (2024). Randomized controlled multi-centre study comparing shorter dental implants (6 mm) to longer dental implants (11–15 mm) in combination with sinus floor elevation procedures: 10-year data. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13954

Keywords

Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Thoma, D. S., Haas, R., Sporniak-Tutak, K., Garcia, A., Taylor, T. D., Tutak, M., Pohl, V., & Hämmerle, C. H. F, Shorter dental implants, longer dental implants, Limited Ridge Height, Posterior Maxilla