Splinting or Nonsplinting Adjacent Implants? A Retrospective Study Up to 15 Years: Part II-Success and Survival Rate Analysis.

PURPOSE: To analyze the success and survival of splinted and nonsplinted implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 423 patients (n = implants: 888) were included in the study. The success and survival of implants for 15 years were analyzed using a multivariable Cox regression model, and the significant effect of the splinting of prostheses and other risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: The cumulative success rate was 34.2%: 33.2% in nonsplinted (NS) and 34.8% in splinted implants (SP). The cumulative survival rate was 92.9% (94.1%, NS; 92.3%, SP). Whether to splint was not related to the success and survival of implants. The smaller the implant diameter, the lower the survival rate. The crown length and implant length were significantly associated only with NS implants: The longer the crown length and the shorter the implant length, the greater the risk of implant failure. The emergence angle (EA) and the emergence profile (EP) had a significant effect on only the SP implants: EA3 showed a higher risk than EA1, and EP2 and EP3 had a higher risk of implant failure. CONCLUSION: Crown length and implant length affected only the nonsplinted implants: The higher the crown length and the shorter the implant length, the greater the risk of implant failure. A significant effect for emergence contour was found only in SP implants: the implants restored with prostheses with EA >/= 30 degrees on both the mesial and distal sides, and convex EP on at least one side had higher risks of failure. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2023;38:443-450. doi: 10.11607/jomi.10054.