Osteotome sinus floor elevation technique without grafting: a 5-year prospective study.

Aim: To evaluate the long-term stability of peri-implant bone formation following implant placement without grafting into resorbed posterior maxillae.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five implants of 10 mm were placed in 17 patients to rehabilitate atrophic maxillae by means of an osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) procedure without grafting. Mean residual bone height was 5.4±2.3mm. Bone levels were evaluated at 1, 3 and 5 years using periapical radiographs.

Results: All implants fulfilled survival criteria and gained peri-implant bone (mean increase 3.2±1.3mm). Implant protrusion into the sinus decreased from 4.9±1.9mm after surgery to 1.5±0.9mm after 5 years. Mean crestal bone loss amounting to 0.8±0.8mm stabilized over the 5-year observation interval. Twenty implants showed additional peri-implant bone gain following the 1-year control.

Conclusions: Implant rehabilitation of atrophic maxillae may be greatly simplified using implants 10mm and the OSFE technique without grafting. Grafting material is not needed to gain at least 3mm of bone in the atrophic maxilla. The procedure appears predictable with favourable long-term results.