Short implants: an alternative to bone augmentation in atrophic patients [Impianti corti: un’alternativa alla rigenerazione ossea in pazienti con atrofia dei mascellari]

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the current state of the art in the surgical management of the fixed rehabilitations in the vertical atrophies of the jaws. Guidelines and clinical indications will be given, with a special attention to short implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Taken into consideration the current scientific literature and evidence, and clinical authors evaluations, the different surgical approaches to patients with vertical bone atrophies of the jaws have been analysed. Particularly, short implants effectiveness and their advantages and disadvantages have been examined. RESULTS: Short implants represent a treatment option faster, cheaper and associated with fewer complications, compared to vertical bone augmentation procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Short dental implants nowadays could represent a reliable and preferable choice to long implants placed in augmented bone.