Short (8-mm) Dental Implants in the Rehabilitation of Partial and Complete Edentulism: A 3- to 14-Year Longitudinal Study

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of different implant sizes (8- and 10-mm lengths with 3.75-, 4.1-, and 4.8-mm diameters) in diverse host bone sites in a selected sample of partially and completely edentulous patients. Materials and Methods: Over a 14-year period, 129 patients (68 women and 61 men) were consecutively treated with a fixed prosthesis (single or multiunit, screw or cement retained) supported by 265 different-sized implants (154 standard 10-mm; 111 shorter 8-mm). Two types of implants were used (141 titanium plasma-sprayed and 124 Sand-blasted, large-grit, acid-etched). Results: Dropouts were recorded for 23 patients with 23 prostheses supported by 42 implants. In the remaining 106 patients (223 implants), 8 implants failed (4 standard and 4 shorter), in type 3 or 4 bone. Mean marginal bone loss and gingival crevice probing depth associated with either implant length were statistically comparable (P > .05). The 14-year cumulative survival rates for all short and standard implants were 97.9% and 97.1%, respectively. Survival rates were 92.3% and 95.9% for titanium plasma-sprayed short and standard implants, respectively, and 100% and 98.5% for the Sand-blasted, large-grit, acid-etched short and standard implants, respectively. Six of the 8 lost implants required implant replacement after the host sites' healing period. The remaining 2 lost implants were managed by converting the distal unit of the fixed partial prosthesis to a cantilever. Conclusion: Within the limits of the study design and observation period, a mix of implant sizes did not appear to compromise the effectiveness of implant therapy in this particular population group.