title: A randomised clinical trial on the influence of splinted and unsplinted oral implants in mandibular overdenture therapy. A 3-year report.
abstract: A randomised clinical trial was performed to investigate whether there is a need or advantage to splint two implants in the mandible retaining a hinging overdenture. Furthermore, patient satisfaction was evaluated for different attachment systems retaining the overdenture. Thirty-six edentulous patients were randomised into three groups of equal size and treated with either magnets, ball attachments or straight bars (reference group). After 3 years of observation no implants were lost in any of the groups. Besides, no statistically significant differences were noted for the peri-implant outcome. Although the bar group presented the highest retention force, the general satisfaction of the patients in the three groups did not differ. The patients with bar retentions showed less prosthetic complications of the retention elements but more at the level of the denture-supporting mucosa. Finally, the clinical outcome of all groups confirms that overdenture treatment demands regular controls with limited time intervals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium. ignace.naert@med.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Naert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gizani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vuylsteke
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Steenberghe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention / Q000295:instrumentation; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003828:Denture, Overlay / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010516:Periodontal Splints; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants