Maxillary ridge expansion with simultaneous implant placement: 5-year results of an ongoing clinical study.

With the technique of maxillary ridge expansion, 449 implants were placed in 150 patients and observed over a period of up to 93 months. Thin maxillary ridges of adequate height and comprising 2 separate cortical plates with intervening cancellous bone were selected for maxillary ridge expansion and simultaneous implant placement. Two-stage implants were used and allowed to heal in a closed environment for 6 months prior to loading. Single and multiple teeth were replaced using this technique, and an estimated mean survival rate better than 97% after a 5-year observation period was calculated (95% confidence interval of the mean survival estimation: 98% +/- 1%). Good esthetic and functional outcomes were observed.