SHORT DENTAL IMPLANTS FOR PROSTHETIC REHABILITATION OF THE ATROPHIC POSTERIOR MANDIBLE
Implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation of the atrophic posterior mandible requires either vertical bone augmentation or the use of short dental implants (≥ 7 mm). Placement of short dental implants constitutes the least invasive treatment option and several randomised controlled clinical trials and systematic reviews including meta-analyses have documented high implant survival rates, limited peri-implant crestal bone loss and few complications after up to five years of prosthetic loading. From a biomechanical point of view, a lower limit for implant lengths supporting a prosthetic reconstruction must exist as well as an upper limit for crown-to-implant ratio. However, studies with medium-range observation periods (5 years) have documented high implant survival rates of implants with a length of 4 mm and a crown-to-implant ratio of > 2.
This review will present the existing evidence on the use of short dental implants for prosthetic rehabilitation of the atrophic posterior mandible.