An eight-year Chilean private-payer microsimulation estimated that 6-8.5 mm implants without guided bone regeneration cost less and produced slightly more implant-years than >10 mm implants with vertical GBR. This model uses meta-analysis inputs and Chilean fees; it is not a Thai patient trial or proof that one strategy suits everyone.
Key findings
- Mean costs were USD 3,662 versus 6,030, saving USD 2,367. Effectiveness was 6.77 versus 6.49 implant-years and 6.71 versus 6.27 complication-free implant-years. Initial implant cost was most influential, and most simulations favored lower cost with greater effectiveness.
Why this matters globally
The model informs shared decisions and resource allocation for posterior atrophic mandibles, but anatomy, bone, behavioral risk, patient-reported outcomes, and operator expertise matter beyond cost.
Thai researcher contribution
Two authors list Chulalongkorn Dentistry within a Barcelona-Mainz-Karolinska-Hong Kong network. Costs are Chilean and no Thai cohort was studied.
Limitations to consider
Results depend on meta-analysis quality and transition assumptions. Implant-years are not QALYs or patient satisfaction; eight years may miss lifetime failures. Chilean private fees and PPP are not directly transferable to Thailand, and modeled non-inferiority is not a non-inferiority trial.