Implant Stability After Graftless Motor-Driven Crestal Sinus Elevation: A Cohort Study

Graftless motor-driven crestal sinus elevation may be a preferable alternative to conventional methods due to the reduction of postsurgical complications and lower cost. This prospective cohort study evaluated the stability of implants installed using this technique. Twenty-nine Straumann BLT (bone level tapered) implants in 29 patients were included in the sample. Average implant stability quotients (ISQ) were measured immediately after surgery (mean: 73.5 ± 9.2) and after a period of healing (mean: 77.1 ± 4.5) using resonance frequency analysis (RFA). There was a significant increase in implant stability after healing (P = .035). The healing duration did not significantly influence how implant stability increased (P =.373). The mean ISQ after healing was significantly higher than the clinically acceptable stability value of 65 ISQ (P < .001). Implant length and width were not significantly correlated with ISQ increase (P = .764 and P = .085, respectively). In addition, there were no significant differences in average ISQ values measured immediately postsurgery (at baseline) or after healing between implants with and without registered perforations during surgery (P = .118 and P = .366, respectively). The posthealing stability of 4 implants that did not achieve primary stability was not significantly less stable after the healing period than those that had achieved primary stability (P = .086). Moreover, the level of insertion torque significantly impacted implant stability immediately postsurgery (P < .001), but the ISQ values measured after healing were not significantly different based on the initial insertion torque values (P = .131). This study suggests that implants installed using graftless motor-driven crestal sinus elevation may achieve clinically acceptable stability as measured by RFA.