USE OF SHORT IMPLANTS (6 MM) IN FIXED PARTIAL DENTURES IN POSTERIOR SITES. A PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL STUDY WITH A 1-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

in replacing missing teeth, osseointegrated implants have become a viable option, especially in the restoration of partial edentulis. Such situations may require additional and complex surgical interventions to augemt insufficient bone volume. An alternative therapy in situations with limited mounts of bone available is the installation of short implants simplifying the restoration of posterior segments. To evalutate the clinical and radiographic outcome and the survival rate of two 6 mm long implants supporting a fixed partial denture placed in the posterior sites, in partially edentulous patients with a 1-year follow-up. Two splitted short implants (6 mm) with a moderately rough surface loaded early (after 6 weeks) during healing yielded high implant survival rates and moderate loss of bone after 1 year of loading. Longer observation periods are needed to draw more definite conclusions on the reliability of short implants supporting fixed partial dentures in order to avoid complicated bone augmentation procedures.