Abstract
Purpose: The short dental implant is considered as possible solution in the alveolar bone height deficient cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical availability of short implants by measuring the marginal bone loss of short length implants and comparing with that of conventional length implants. Materials and Methods: The groups were composed of patients who had received at least one implant. The samples of this study were selected from patients who with functional loading after prosthetic treatment for 1 year follow up period. The implants with a length of 5.7 mm and 6mm were considered short. (Bicon Dental implants, USA). The experiment group was composed of $4.5{\times}6mm$, $5{\times}6mm$, $6{\times}5.7mm$ implants (total 18 implants were placed in 14 patients, 8 on maxilla, 10 on mandible). The control group was composed of $4.5{\times}8mm$, $5{\times}8mm$, $4.5{\times}11mm$, $5{\times}11mm$. All implants were selected only by implants placed on molar area. We evaluated marginal bone loss in radiographic images at baseline (implant loading) and 3, 6, 12 months after loading. Additionally, crown-to-implant ratio was evaluated, and marginal bone loss according to crown-to-implant ratio after functional loading was analyzed. Results: The short implant group had a mean marginal bone level of $-0.52{\pm}0.69mm$; the 8mm group, $-0.22{\pm}0.82mm$; and the II mm group, $-0.10{\pm}1.09mm$ after I year of functional loading. But significant differences were not detected between three groups at every follow-up period. Crown-to-implant ratio in short implant group was $1.55{\pm}0.23$; 8mm group was $1.15{\pm}0.18$; and 11mm group was $0.92{\pm}0.15$. Additionally, significant differences between three groups were founded. (P<.0001) The greatest marginal bone loss after 1 year follow-up was founded at crown-to-implant ratio 1~1.49 range in short implant. Conclusion: The marginal bone loss of short implants was comparable to that of long implants. So, the short implants can be a clinically acceptable option.