Implant stability in posterior maxilla: bone-condensing versus bone-drilling: a clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical trial was to compare primary and secondary stability of implants placed by bone condensing versus the standard drilling technique in the posterior edentulous maxilla. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-eight SLA Straumann implants 4.1 × 10 mm (Institut Straumann AG, Waldenburg, Switzerland) were placed into edentulous maxillary posterior region in the same positions bilaterally, using the bone condensation technique for one and the standard technique for the other side. Implant stability measurements were performed immediately after implant placement, as well as every week for the next 6 weeks by use of resonance frequency analysis (RFA). Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: After bone condensing, significantly higher implant stability was recorded immediately after surgery as well as during the whole observation period of 6 weeks compared with bone-drilling technique (Mann-Whitney U test, P = .000). CONCLUSIONS: The bone-condensing technique can be recommended as an alternate surgical approach for implant site preparation in reduced bone density to achieve greater implant stability in the posterior maxilla.