Objectives: To use resonance frequency analysis to evaluate tapered implants placed at maxillary posterior sites after lateral sinus augmentation.
Materials and methods: Patients who had missing teeth in the maxillary posterior area and required lateral sinus augmentation before implant placement were enrolled in this study. After a 6-month healing period, a tapered implant (Osstem TSIV) was placed. Implant success rate, survival rate, and marginal bone loss of the implants were measured. For resonance frequency analysis, implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were measured at each visit during a 1.5-year follow-up period.
Results: Twenty-four patients completed the study procedure. The residual bone height was 2.57 ± 1.10 mm (mean ± SD). Healing of the grafted area was uneventful in all cases, and 55 tapered implants were installed. The implant success rate was 95.56%, and the survival rate was 100% throughout the observation period. The marginal bone loss was limited to 0.22 ± 0.44 mm. ISQ increased gradually from 68.40 ± 11.14 to 82.24 ± 4.75 during the 1.5-year follow-up period.
Conclusion: The tapered implants showed good initial and final stability after placement in the soft bone of the maxillary posterior area after lateral sinus augmentation.