Tooth-implant supported fixed prostheses: a retrospective multicenter study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this retrospective multicenter study on implants combined with natural teeth was to investigate the implant survival rate and loss of marginal bone, as well as indications and complications pertinent to this form of implant therapy.


METHODS
The study comprised 185 implants in 111 patients from six different clinics in Sweden. Gathering of data, which were taken from patient records, followed a strict protocol. The registrations included indications for treatment, failure of implants, radiographs from baseline and follow-up, and information on complications.


RESULTS
The cumulative implant survival was found to be 95.4% (standard error 4.5%) up to 3 years of follow-up. The marginal bone level at baseline was lower in the maxilla compared with the mandible (P = .015), but any further loss did not differ between the jaws. The most severe complication other than loss of osseointegration (6/185) or periimplant infections (4/183) was intrusion of the abutment teeth, which occurred in 5% of the cases. In all instances, the intrusion was seen in constructions with nonrigid forms of connection between the implants and teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
The tooth-implant supported prosthesis using the Brånemark system is in the short term an equally predictable treatment as the completely implant-supported prosthesis concerning implant survival and loss of marginal bone. When combining implants and teeth, a rigid form of connection should be used to prevent tooth intrusion.
Lindh
T
T
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Umeå University, SE-901 85, Umeå, Sweden. tomas.lindh@odont.umu.se
Dahlgren
S
S
Gunnarsson
K
K
Josefsson
T
T
Nilson
H
H
Wilhelmsson
P
P
Gunne
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000209:etiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000044:Dental Abutments; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention / Q000295:instrumentation; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000009:adverse effects; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013548:Sweden