Assessment of Dental Implant Stability in Areas Previously Submitted to Maxillary Sinus Elevation

This study aimed to compare the primary and secondary stability, measured by resonance frequency analysis (RFA), in implants of different lengths installed in areas submitted to maxillary sinus lift. Correlation between RFA and implant insertion torque was also assessed. Twenty implants of 9 and 11 mm were inserted in areas submitted to maxillary sinus lift. The insertion torque was measured by the Bien Air motor. Osstell, through RFA, determined the implant stability quotient (ISQ) 2 times: the day of implant installation (T1) and 90 days after implant installation (T2). No differences were observed in the ISQ between T1 and T2 when the 20 implants were grouped, nor when the 9 mm implants were evaluated separately. In contrast, when the 11 mm values were evaluated separately, the ISQ was significantly higher in T2 than in T1 (P < .05). In T1, 9 mm implants had a higher ISQ than 11 mm ones (P < .05), whereas in T2, the implants of 11 mm showed a higher ISQ than did the 9 mm implants (P < .05). There was no difference in insertion torque between 9 and 11 mm implants (P > .05), nor was there a correlation between ISQ and insertion torque (P > .05). In conclusion, longer implants (11 mm) presented a significant increase in ISQ values during the healing period when installed in areas previously submitted to maxillary sinus lift. This phenomenon was not observed for shorter implants (9 mm). Finally, no correlation was observed between ISQ and insertion torque.