Comparison of the success rate and marginal bone loss of implants placed simultaneously with either bone expansion or...

This study was performed to compare the amount of marginal bone loss (MBL) and the success rate of implants placed following maxillary ridge expansion with two surgical techniques. A non-randomized prospective study was designed. The patients underwent either bone expansion or ridge splitting, and simultaneous implant placement. The implants were loaded according to the delayed loading protocol with single crowns. Each study group included 35 implants placed in 31 patients. One year after loading, the implant success rate was 100 % in both groups. The median MBL was 1.00 mm in both groups (interquartile range 0.10 mm in the bone expansion group and 0.30 mm in the ridge splitting group) (no significant difference, P = 0.749). The median MBL around implants placed in sites with D2, D3, and D4 density bone was 1.40 mm, 1.00 mm, and 0.80 mm in the expansion group and 1.50 mm, 1.00 mm, and 0.85 mm in the splitting group, respectively. There was a significant difference in MBL between the different bone density types within both groups (P < 0.001). In conclusion, no significant difference in the amount of MBL or the success rate was observed between implants placed simultaneously with ridge splitting and those placed simultaneously with bone expansion, in the maxilla.