Effectiveness of ultra-wide implants in the mandibular and maxillary posterior areas: a 5-year retrospective clinical study

OBJECTIVES: Ultra-wide implants may be used as a replacement if existing implants fail. This study was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing the prognosis and failure of ultra-wide implants. Patients and Methods This study evaluated whether sex, age, site, diameter, length, additional surgery, implant stability (primary and secondary), and reason for ultra-wide implant placement affect the 5-year survival and success rates and marginal bone loss (MBL) of ultra-wide implants. Seventy-eight ultra-wide implants that were placed in 71 patients (39 males and 32 females) from 2008 to 2010 were studied. One-way ANOVA analysis was conducted to evaluate the statistical significance of MBL according to the patient’s sex, implant site, and diameter. Independent sample t-tests were used to determine the statistical significance of MBL analysis which was used to determine the significance of the 5-year success and survival rates related to the variables. One-way ANOVA was conducted to evaluate the statistical significance of sex, implantation site, diameter, and MBL. Independent sample t-tests were used to evaluate the correlation between implantability and MBL for implantation reasons, while additional surgery, length, and Kaplan–Meier analysis were used to evaluate 5-year survival and success rates. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 54.2 years with a survival rate of 92.3% and a success rate of 83.3% over a mean 97.8-month period of observation. MBL averaged 0.2 mm after one year of prosthetic function loading and 0.54 mm at the time of final observation. Success rates correlated with primary stability (P=0.045), survival rates correlated with secondary stability (P=0.036), and MBL did not correlate with any variables. CONCLUSION: Ultra-wide implants can be used to achieve secure initial fixation in the maxillary and mandibular molar regions with poor bone quality or for alternative purposes in cases of previous implant failure.