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Published on: October 18, 2021
Short Implants Placed with or without Grafting in Atrophic Sinuses: The 3-Year Results of a Prospective Randomized
Rabah Nedir1, Nathalie Nurdin1, Paul Khoury1,2
1Swiss Dental Clinics Group, Ardentis Clinique Dentaire, Vevey, Switzerland.
Background:
The question whether a minimal maxillary residual bone height (RBH) allows the predictable use of osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) remains unresolved.
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy of short implants placed with OSFE in an RBH of ≤4 mm and to compare bone levels around implants placed with (control) or without (test) grafting after 3 years.
Materials And Methods:
Eight-millimeter implants were placed by OSFE in sinuses randomized to receive anorganic bovine bone or no grafting material. Healing time before prosthetic rehabilitation was 10 weeks. Peri-implant bone levels were measured on standardized periapical radiographs.
Results:
Thirty-seven implants (17 test, 20 control) were placed at a mean RBH of 2.4 ± 0.9 mm. Three implants failed during the 3-year follow-up. After 3 years, all implants had gained endosinus bone (test: 4.1 ± 1.0 mm; control: 5.1 ± 1.2 mm; p = .001). Mean bone gain was stable between 1 and 3 years in both groups.
Conclusions:
Grafting is unnecessary to achieve bone augmentation of 4.1 mm; however, more bone is gained with grafting. Bone gained over 1 year was retained. Atrophic posterior maxillae can be predictably rehabilitated using OSFE and simultaneous placement of 8-mm implants.
