Partial fixed dental prostheses fabricated using fiber-reinforced composite resin supported by short and extra-short implants: A case series

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the 10-year outcomes of partial fixed dental prostheses (P-FDPs) fabricated using metal-free fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) resin frameworks veneered with composite resin and supported by short and extra-short implants. Methods: This study included 28 patients with 38 FRC prostheses supported by 96 implants. Implant and prosthesis survival and success rates were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: The 10-year implant survival and success rate, as determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis, was 96.9%, and the prosthesis survival and success rates were 94.7% and 92.0%, respectively. None of the parameters under investigation were significantly correlated with prosthetic survival or successful outcomes, but three parameters were correlated with higher peri-implant bone levels: implant placement in the mandible as opposed to the maxilla, shorter P-FDP spans, and natural teeth on the opposing arch. Conclusions: FRC P-FDPs supported by short and extra-short implants presented high, up to 10-year, survival and success rates, when used to restore partially edentulous arches.