Implant failure: regional versus cumulative evaluation

In this paper the success rate of implant therapy in various bone regions is discussed. The objective is to determine whether differences existed in success rates of cylinder implants placed in different areas in the both maxilla and mandible. Forty four patients have been treated and reviewed five years after the placement of the fixed prosthetic restoration. The patients were provided with a total of 92 implants. Results from this study show very low survival rate for implants placed in anterior region of maxilla (55.6%) after five years. It is concluded that simple cumulative follow up studies do not entirely correspond to actual situations, positioning the implants has an important role in the planning of the implant therapy and that important factor for force compensation is not only the surrounding bone density, but also the region of the jaw where the implants are placed.