Use of Sintered Porous-Surfaced Dental Implants to Restore Single Teeth in the Maxilla: A 7- to 9-Year Follow-up

This report from a prospective study discusses the status of a group of 20 single maxillary sintered porous-surfaced (SPS) dental implants after 7 to 9 years in function restored with screw-retained crowns. Twenty patients each received a single SPS implant placed in a two-stage surgical approach; 65% replaced premolar or molar teeth, while the remainder replaced anterior teeth. Patients were examined annually. Standardized radiographs were used to assess peri-implant crestal bone levels and to determine an implant success rate. Jemt Papilla Index scores were used to assess the extent of papilla reformation between each implant and its two contiguous teeth. After 7 to 9 years, 17 implants were available for assessment (one patient had died, and two patients had moved away). One implant was removed after the 9-year visit because of progressive bone loss, giving a survival rate of 92.9%. The failure of this implant was related to deficiency in initial alveolar ridge width with loss of the remaining thin buccal cortical plate. With the exception of the failed implant, no significant changes in mean annual crestal bone loss were noted from years 1 to 9, giving a similar success rate (92.9%). Jemt Papilla Index scores of 2 or 3 were assigned for the majority of papillae. SPS implants can be used effectively to replace single missing maxillary teeth.