Treatment strategies in moderate atrophic posterior maxilla: short dental implants or sinus floor elevation?

Abstract

The aim of present study is to evaluate the implant stability, operative time and patient satisfaction of short dental implants (6mm) alone, short dental implants (8mm) combined with OSFE and standard dental implants (10mm) combined with OSFE for treating atrophic posterior maxilla of partially edentulous. 33 patients with 33 implants (Group 1: 9, Group 2: 12, Group 3: 12) were included in the present study. Implant survival rate, RFA measurements, operative time and patient satisfactory were evaluated. Comparison will be made among the 3 groups using ANOVA. The implant survival rates were 100% in all three groups. At implant placement, the mean ISQ values were 66.56 in group 1, 69.22 in group 2 and 70.78 in group 3. At implant impression, the mean ISQ values were 72.15 group 1, 70.67 in group 2, and 71.78in group 3. The operative time in group 1 (mean: 529.3±27.6) was significantly shorter than those in group 2 (mean 781.3±43.5) and group 3 (mean 820.8±54.1) (P<0.01). No significant difference of the intraoperative discomfort and postoperative pain scores was found among three groups. High survival rates, enough primary and secondary implant stability and excellent patient satisfactory can be achieved in all three groups. Short-6-mm implants group showed significantly shorter operative time. Future studies with large sample size should explore the difference of patient satisfactory among the three treatment strategies.