The following abstract shows the benefits of placing short implants vs bone graft surgery. Comment to be added soon.

Dr Veselin Shumantov
ddsnewyork.com


Vertical bone augmentation vs. 7 mm long implants
in posterior atrophic mandibles. Results up to 1 year
after loading

Presenter: Felice P
University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Co-authors: Felice P1, Checchi L1, Marchetti C1, Pellegrino
G1, Lizio G1, Esposito M2

University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, 2University of Manchester,
Manchester, UK

Background and aim: To compare the outcomes obtained with
the placement of 7 mm long implants vs. the placement of
longer implants in vertically augmented bone for the treatment
of atrophic posterior mandibles.

Materials and methods: Sixty partially edentulous patients,
with a residual bone height above mandibular canal of 7–8 mm
were distributed in two treatment groups: the first group (30
patients) underwent the insertion of two/three submerged 7 mm
long implants, whereas the second one (30 patients) underwent
inlay augmentation procedure and subsequent insertion of
10 mm long implants.
After the elevation of a mucoperiosteal flap a horizontal
osteotomy and two oblique cuts were made in the coronal third of
the mandibular bone; the osteotomised segment was then raised in a
coronal direction sparing the lingual periosteum and Bio-Oss blocks
were interposed between the raised fragment and the mandibular
basal bone. The grafts were left healing for 5 months before
inserting the implants. Provisional and definitive prostheses were
placed 4 and 8 months, respectively, thereafter both in the short
implant group and in the augmented group.

Results: Three implants in three patients failed in the aug-
mented group vs. one implant in the 7 mm short implant
group up to the placement of the final prostheses. Consequently
three prostheses vs. one prosthesis could not be placed at the
planned time, though all implants were successfully replaced
and loaded. Four complications (dehiscence) occurred in
four patients of the augmented bone group vs. none in the
7 mm short implant group (no significant statistical difference).
In two cases a partial loss of the graft occurred. Only patients
subjected to vertical augmentation complained of temporary
mental nerve sensitivity disturbances. No permanent sensitiv-
ity alterations of the alveolar inferior nerve occurred in both
groups.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that, when the
residual bone height over the mandibular canal is between 7 and
8 mm, 7 mm short implants might a preferable choice since the
treatment is faster, cheaper and associated with less morbidity
than vertical bone augmentation.