Treatment planning and placement of implants in the posterior maxillae

One to nine Nobelpharma osseointegrated implants were placed in the posterior maxillae of 213 consecutive partially edentulous patients. Reconstruction was completed with a ceramic fixed partial denture with follow-up of 5 to 70 months (mean 30.3 months) after loading. Thirty-four implants in 29 patients failed; eight were replaced and one of these failed. Thus, the overall failure rate was 4.8% (35/732). The failure rate in type IV bone was only slightly higher than that in types II and III bone (5.5% versus 4.6%). The failure rate in the entire molar area was 5.3% compared with 4.5% in the premolar area (P = NS), and the failure rate of 7-mm implants was 9.5% compared with 3.8% for implants of all other lengths (P = .01).