Background: Significant difficulties can be encountered when installing posterior maxillary implants. Osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) enables insertion of implants with insufficient bone height at the posterior maxilla using a special instrument known as the "osteotom."
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the implant survival rates and radiographical bone gain data after OSFE with simultaneous implant placement performed without grafting material. Further, we have discussed whether the osteotom tapping distance to sinus floor affects the amount of new bone gain (NBG).
Materials and methods: Forty dental implants were inserted in 36 patients (20 women and 16 men) aged between 24 and 80 years (mean = 55.7 years). Residual bone height and NBG were analyzed using a commercially available software program on panoramic films.
Results: The mean residual bone height at the intended implant sites was 5.4 mm ± 2.2 mm, ranging from 3.5 mm to 6.9 mm. The mean NBG was 1.5 mm ± 0.87 mm, ranging from 0.1 mm to 4 mm. At 64.4 months of follow-up, one implant had been lost in the osseointegration period. The remaining 39 implants were in function, with a survival rate of 97.5%. No significant difference was seen between the osteotome tapping distance to sinus floor and NBG at the implant apex (P = 0.395).
Conclusion: OSFE without using bone grafts with simultaneous implant installation is a safe and reliable method with successful long-term results for he rehabilitation of edentulous posterior maxillae.
Keywords: Implants; osteotom sinus floor elevation; posterior maxilla; sinus lift.