Efficacy of implant placement after bone grafting for three-dimensional reconstruction of the posterior jaw.

A series of 21 men and 41 women received grafts resulting in mean faciolingual augmentation of 5.1 mm and mean vertical augmentation of 3.9 mm. In most patients, bone was obtained from the iliac crest. At the time of implant placement, the bone at the site was restored anatomically to type B in 50 patients and to type C in 12. The patients received from one to ten posterior implants, which were placed simultaneously with (n = 5) or approximately 6 months after grafting. All of the implants were loaded, with the follow-up ranging from 12 to 96 months (mean 37.3 months). Ceramometal restorations were ultimately used in all patients. Five patients suffered partial graft loss at a total of 21 implants, of which five (24%) failed. The total failure rate for implants placed in patients who received sinus + veneer grafts was 4% (9/222). In patients who received sinus and J grafts, the final implant failure rate was 2%. All implants placed in anteroposterior J grafts and mandibular grafts were successful. Overall, including replacement implants, the failure rate was 7% (23/329). Posterior implants can be placed after graft reconstruction with a success rate similar to that obtained without grafting, thereby improving the function and esthetic outcome.