Short Implant Versus Crestal Standard Length Implant to Retain Class 1 Removable Partial Denture.

Clinical Outcome of Subcrestal Short Implant Versus Crestal Standard Length Implant to Retain Kennedy Class 1 Removable Partial Denture: A Split-mouth Study

Objective: To report the implant survival rates, clinical, and radiographic outcomes of subcrestal short implant versus crestal standard length implant supported removable partial denture (RPD).

30 individuals with at least 2 adjacent missing teeth bilaterally were included.to support class Ι RPD with conventional loading protocol were chosen for this research. Each participant received 2 implants in a split mouth design, one side received 1 subcrestal short implant and the contralateral side crestal standard length implant. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), radiographic crestal bone level (CBL) and implant survival rate were evaluated. at implant placement (T0), restoration delivery (T1), and 3-year follow-up after loading (T2). MBL was calculated as the change in distance from the implant-abutment interface to the first radiographically visible bone-implant contact. A repeated-measures mixed ANOVA followed by a paired Student's t-test with the Bonferroni correction was used for statistical analysis. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant

Inclusion Criteria

• adult patients aged 50 years or older with class 1 RPD with missing mandibular molars at least and complaining from instability of the prosthesis were recruited.
• Medical history revealed no contraindication to implant therapy.
• Patients have an amount of bone nearly equal to 8 mm length above the inferior alveolar canal to receive a 6 mm short implant with 2 mm subcrestal to the bone level with sufficient bone width ≥ 8mm on one side and an amount of bone equal to or more than 8 mm to receive a standard-length implant of 7.5, 9, or 10.5 mm placed at crestal bone level with sufficient bone width ≥ 8mm on the contralateral side which was examined by CBCT.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of active infection or inflammation in the areas intended for implant placement; *systemic diseases such as diabetes.
• Pregnant and lactating patients.
• Habit of severe bruxism or clenching.
• Treatment with therapeutic radiation to the head within the past 12 months.
• Treatment with bisphosphonate within the past 12 months.
• More than 10 cigarettes/day smoking habit.