title: Osseointegrated dental implants with ball attachments supporting overdentures in patients with mandibular alveolar ridge atrophy.
abstract: Brånemark dental implants with ball attachments supporting overdentures were used as alternative treatment to combined lingual-vestibuloplasty with free split-thickness skin graft and removable dentures in 25 consecutive patients with mandibular alveolar ridge atrophy. Ninety-three fixtures were placed. Ball attachments were mounted on the fixtures, and implant-supported overdentures were inserted 3 to 4 months after fixture placement. The observation period after implant activation and prosthesis insertion varied from 12 to 27 months with a median observation period of 18 months. The overall success rate of individual implants was 97% (90/93). The prosthesis function rate was 100% (25/25). The 1-year success rate of individual implants was 98% (91/93) with a prosthesis function rate of 100% (25/25). No persistent surgical or prosthodontic complications were observed. Preliminary results indicate that osseointegrated Brånemark dental implants with ball attachments supporting overdentures can be a successful alternative to combined lingual-vestibuloplasty with free split-thickness skin graft and removal dentures in patients with denture problems related to mandibular alveolar ridge atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Copenhagen County Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Donatsky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000601:surgery*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention; D003834:Denture Precision Attachment; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants