Short implants: are they a viable option in implant dentistry?

ABSTRACT

Short-length implants (<10 mm) can be used effectively in atrophic maxillae or mandibles even with crown/implant ratios that previously would have been considered excessive. Short implants can support either single or multiple units and can be used for fixed prostheses or overdentures. The use of short-length implants may avoid the need for complicated bone augmentation procedures, thus allowing patients who were either unwilling or unable for financial or medical reasons to undergo these advanced grafting techniques to be adequately treated.