The Use of Short and Ultrashort Implants in Atrophic Jaws

Tooth loss results in resorption of the alveolar bone, often down to cortical bone. The amount and rapidity of resorption varies from patient to patient but eventually all alveolar and cancellous bone will resorb. Over 150 years ago, Julius Wolff, an anatomist and surgeon, observed that healthy bone adapts to loads to which it is exposed [1, 2]. He described the trabecular structures in the proximal femur based upon the load being placed on the bone [3]. Applying Wolff’s law to the resorption of the jaws’ bone is a logical consequence of tooth loss. Without the presence of a load being placed on the teeth, the mandible and maxilla will resorb.