Short Dental Implants

What they are

Short dental implants are implants with a length of less than 8 mm (ultra-short if less than 6 mm), designed for sites with limited vertical bone height. They allow avoiding regenerative procedures such as the maxillary sinus lift or the bone graft, but they present a smaller osseointegration surface and limitations in cases of severe atrophy compared to basal techniques.

Short dental implants are implants with a length of less than 8 mm (sometimes defined "ultra-short" if < 6 mm). They are designed to be placed in sites with limited vertical bone height, avoiding the need for regenerative procedures such as the maxillary sinus lift or the bone graft.

Thanks to modern surface treatments and optimised implant designs, short implants have significantly improved survival rates compared to the past, although some intrinsic limitations remain.

Indications

Short implants are indicated for: vertical bone between 5 and 8 mm, posterior mandibular area above the inferior alveolar nerve, posterior maxillary area with mildly pneumatised sinuses, patients with contraindications to bone grafts or sinus lifts and sites with unfavourable anatomy due to the proximity of noble structures.

• Reduced vertical bone: bone height between 5 and 8 mm
• Posterior mandibular area: above the inferior alveolar nerve
• Posterior maxillary area: in the presence of mildly pneumatised sinuses
• Patients with contraindications to bone grafts or sinus lifts
• Sites with unfavourable anatomy: proximity of noble structures

Limits

The limits of short implants include: smaller osseointegration surface with reduced load capacity, unfavourable crown/implant ratio generating greater lever forces, lower primary stability limiting immediate loading, lower survival rates compared to standard implants and unusability in severe atrophies with bone height below 5 mm.

• Smaller osseointegration surface: the reduced length decreases the bone-implant contact area, reducing the load capacity
• Unfavourable crown/implant ratio: a short implant with a long crown generates greater lever forces, increasing the risk of overload and failure
• Lower primary stability: the reduced insertion depth limits the achievable torque, reducing the possibility of immediate loading
• Lower survival rates: although improved, they remain lower than standard length implants (≥ 10 mm)
• Limitation in cases of severe atrophy: not indicated when the bone height is < 5 mm

Comparison with basal/pterygoid implants

Compared to short implants, the Bilateral Sinus Solution™ (BSS) with basal and pterygoid implants offers: length of 10-20 mm with deep bicortical anchorage in the D1-D2 basal bone, excellent primary stability with immediate loading always possible, indication also for severe atrophies without the need for sinus lift and a fixed zirconia-ceramic prosthesis with 14 teeth without fake gum.

The basal implantology techniques, in particular the Bilateral Sinus Solution™ (BSS), offer significant advantages compared to short implants:

For cases of severe or moderate bone atrophy, the Bilateral Sinus Solution™ (BSS) allows using long implants anchored in the D1-D2 basal bone, guaranteeing excellent primary stability and the possibility of immediate loading with a fixed zirconia-ceramic prosthesis. Short implants remain a niche solution for selected cases with limited bone atrophy and good local bone quality.

The implant and the bone

The Circolare d'Autore® prosthesis

• 14 teeth per arch, including all posterior molars
• Zero fake gum: the teeth emerge from the natural gum
• Zirconia + layered ceramic, with registered trademark ®
• Custom-made: every prosthesis is a unique piece designed for the patient

Discover all the details on the dedicated page: Circolare d'Autore® — the definitive prosthesis without fake gum.