21.01.2025
Short implants: on a par after five years
Where the jawbone is too shallow, bone grafting was until now usually needed before an implant could be placed: an extra procedure, extra months, extra cost.
A systematic review has set randomised trials of implants no longer than 6 mm against those of at least 10 mm. The result: after five years, similar survival rates in native bone. No substantial differences were found in bone loss at the implant margin or in complications either.
That does not mean short implants are always the better choice. The bone available, the position, the bite, the prosthetic concept and the patient's ability to keep up aftercare all decide the individual case. For vertical bone grafting in the lower jaw the evidence remains thin. But it is worth asking about in the consultation.
Source: Journal of Clinical Periodontology, systematic review 2024 (in German)