Effectiveness of trans-sinus dental implants in the complete arch rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Systematic reviews to determine the effectiveness of oral rehabilitation with trans-sinus dental implants in patients with an atrophic maxilla are lacking.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of trans-sinus dental implants installed in patients with an atrophic maxilla.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Searches were conducted in 5 databases including the nonpeer-reviewed literature up to March 2024 by 2 independent reviewers according to established inclusion and exclusion criteria and according to the question: Can trans-sinus implants be a suitable option for the rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla? The meta-analysis was carried out using the Revman software program for the variables implant loss and marginal bone loss using a 95% confidence interval. The risk of bias in the studies was determined using the ROBINS I tool.

RESULTS

A total of 1884 articles were initially found in the researched databases, of which 4 were included in this systematic review. Three were observational studies, and 1 a randomized clinical trial. A total of 144 participants with 658 implants were evaluated (207 trans-sinus) with a 97.2% effectiveness. No statistically significant difference was found in effectiveness when comparing trans-sinus implants and conventional implants (P=.14, I2: 0%), and also no statistically significant difference was found in relation to marginal bone loss between the groups (P=.47, I2: 91%). None of the studies analyzed presented a low risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of trans-sinus implants in the rehabilitation of atrophic edentulous jaws represents a suitable option with a high success rate. However, the small number of controlled studies on the subject and the high risk of bias are important factors that must be considered before choosing this therapy. New controlled studies with high methodological rigor must be carried out to determine the effectiveness of trans-sinus implants in the rehabilitation of atrophic jaws.