Short Dental Implants (5 to 7 mm) with Expandable Apex in the Posterior Maxilla-Preliminary Results

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of short dental implants with an expandable compressive design could be a proper alternative to the conventional sinus elevation procedure in cases of deficient alveolar ridge height in the posterior maxillary area.

Fifty patients with 73 short dental implants with an expandable compressive design who were treated for posterior maxillary alveolar ridges of 5 to 7 mm in the vertical dimension between 2012 and 2018 were included in a retrospective study. All patients had a minimum postrehabilitation period of 1 year. Patient demographics, implant properties, primary stability, and implant success and survival rates were analyzed.

The total success rate was 97.2%, with two failed implants at implant uncovering. The mean bone loss was 1.03 mm. No difference in bone loss was found between sexes or age groups.

The results of this study suggest that short dental implants with an expandable apical compressive design could be an alternative to sinus elevation procedures in selected cases of vertically deficient maxillary alveolar ridges.