No abstract

In areas of reduced alveolar bone height the use of short dental implants may reduce the need for invasive bone augmentation procedures.

This representative survey reveals that dentists are still the main source of patient information, but throws doubt on the quality of their public relations work. Dentists must improve communication strategies to provide their patients with comprehensible, legally tenable information on dental implants and bridge information gaps in the future.

Respecting the mechanical properties of the Schneiderian membrane may help reducing the complication rates and thus patient morbidity in minimally invasive maxillary sinus floor elevation.

PurposeRehabilitation of the incomplete dentition by means of osseointegrated dental implants represents a highly predictable and widespread therapy; however, little is known about potential risk factors that may impair long-term implant success.MethodsFrom 2004 to 2012, a total of 13,147 implants were placed in 4,316 patients at the Academy for Oral Implantology in Vienna. The survival rates after 8 years of follow-up were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the impact of patient- and implant-related risk factors was assessed.ResultsOverall implant survival was 97% and was not associated with implant length (P=0.930), implant diameter (P=0.704), jaw location (P=0.545), implant position (P=0.450), local bone quality (P=0.398), previous bone augmentation surgery (P=0.617), or patient-related factors including osteoporosis (P=0.661), age (P=0.575), or diabetes mellitus (P=0.928). However, smoking increased the risk of implant failure by 3 folds (P<0.001) and a positive history of periodontal disease doubled the failure risk (P=0.001).ConclusionsSumming up the long-term results of well over 10,000 implants at the Academy for Oral Implantology in Vienna it can be concluded that there is only a limited number of patients that do not qualify for implant therapy and may thus not benefit from improved quality of life associated with fixed implant-retained prostheses.Graphical Abstract

In view of their high overall prevalence and significant morphologic variability, 3D radiographic imaging prior to sinus floor augmentation may help to reduce complication rates in the presence of maxillary sinus septa.

Applying the new safety recommendations and proper patient selection in chin bone harvesting could reduce the risk of altered postoperative tooth sensitivity due to injury of the mandibular incisive nerve.

little has changed in patients' attitude toward dental implants compared with the representative opinion poll in 2003. Neither implant acceptance nor implant prevalence in the Austrian population demonstrated upward trends. Professional public relations efforts are indicated to drop resentments and increase patient acceptance of dental implants as a treatment modality.