Clinical Outcomes of Bone-Level and Tissue-Level Short Implants Placed in Posterior Maxilla: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Short implants offer a reliable, minimally invasive solution for posterior maxilla rehabilitation.
• Maintaining marginal bone stability is critical for the long-term success of short implants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical outcomes of bone-level and tissue-level short implants in the posterior maxilla.
• To evaluate implant survival and peri-implant marginal bone stability over one year of function.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter prospective case-control study involving 58 patients and 71 short implants (bone-level vs. tissue-level).
• Physiological bone remodeling (PBR) was measured via radiographs at baseline, prosthesis delivery, and 12 months post-loading.
• Multivariate analysis assessed differences in PBR and influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Tissue-level implants showed significantly lower peri-implant bone remodeling (PBR) compared to bone-level implants at 12 months (0.30 mm vs. 0.55 mm).
• Lower PBR correlated with thin vertical mucosal thickness and specific prosthetic abutment lengths.
• No significant differences in initial stability (insertion torque, ISQ) were observed between implant types.

Conclusions:

• Both bone-level and tissue-level short implants are effective for posterior maxilla rehabilitation.
• Tissue-level short implants demonstrate superior marginal bone stability compared to subcrestally placed bone-level implants.
• Tissue-level short implants are recommended for improved clinical outcomes in the posterior maxilla.