Meta-analysis on the survival of short implants.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success and failure rates of short implants (10 mm or less) for oral rehabilitations in cases of limited bone height. STUDY DESIGN: Review of the articles published on the topic between the years 2000 and 2010, and development of a descriptive meta-analysis of the results. RESULTS: The majority of the studies obtain a cumulative success rate (CSR) similar to that of longer implants (92.5%-98.42% for machined and rough-surface implants, respectively). The studies that record lower cumulative success rates (CSR) are later studies that analyze implants with a machined surface. Almost none of the studies compared the success/failure rates with the bone quality or location of the implant (maxilla or mandible). Thus, the results obtained are from a mixture of these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the results analyzed, rehabilitations with short implants are a reliable treatment; however, the lack of consistency in the study designs as well as the presence of bias in all of the studies reviewed make it difficult to analyze the data.

Clinical and radiographic behaviour of 290 dental implants with a surface treated with hydrofluoric acid and passivated with hydrofluoric and nitric acid: early loading results after 2 years.

OBJECTIVE: This work presents the results of clinical and radiological behaviour, for 2 years, of 290 implants treated with a first etching with HF and a second etching with HF and HNO3 acids and that were loaded 8 weeks after insertion. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: It is a prospective study on 290 implants placed in 56 patients with an age range from 28 to 81. The selection was previously made through radiological study with panoramic and tomographic radiographs, followed by the implantological treatment with prosthetic loading and clinical (15 days, 1, 3 , 6, 12, 18 and 24 months) and radiological control (12 and 24 months). RESULTS: During the healing period, 11 implants failed, resulting in a CSR of 96.21%. After prostheses placement at 2 months, 4 implants were retired, successfully remaining 275 implants. CONCLUSIONS: The following and favourable results after the prosthetic loading of 179 implants (CSR of 98.56%), attest that early loading may and must be applied, after rigorous planning and case selection.