Abstract:
Objective: To compare the stability of short implants placed in the posterior maxilla and mandible within a 4-month healing period.
Material and methods: A total of 24 patients who were partially edentulous in the posterior were enrolled in the study. Thirty short implants (4.2 mm in diameter and 7.5 mm in length) with rough surface were placed with 2-stage surgical approach (15 implants each in maxilla and mandible). Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) was used to measure implant stability at time of surgical placement, at 2 months, at 3 months, and at 4 months after surgical placement. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) values of maxillary and mandibular implants were compared using Mann Whitney test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test.
Results: Within the 4-month healing period, the ISQ values increased gradually in both maxillary and mandibular implants. The mean ISQ values of implants in the mandible were significantly greater than those in the maxilla at every respective length of healing time. The success of short implants in this study was 96.7%.
Conclusions: Short implants with rough surface in the posterior maxilla had less stability than those in the posterior mandible during the 4-month healing period. Our study indicated that short implants with rough surfaces can gain a high degree of osseointegration within 2 months in the mandible and within 3 months in the maxilla if good stability was achieved at implant placement.
