title: Stability of the screw joints in patients with implant-supported fixed prostheses in edentulous jaws: a 1-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this follow-up study was to evaluate the stability of the screw joint in edentulous patients 1 year after treatment with implant-supported fixed prostheses (Brånemark system).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 patients were included, 10 treated in the maxilla and 10 in the mandible. The fixed prostheses were removed approximately 1 year after insertion, and the stability of the screw joints was evaluated using a rating scale based upon the CDA quality evaluation criteria of dental care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All implant-supported fixed prostheses were recorded as stable before the prosthetic screws (gold screws) were unscrewed. "Unacceptable loosening" was observed in 4% of the prosthetic screws and in 29% of the abutment screws.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, only a few of the prosthetic screws showed unacceptable loosening after 1 year of function. The clinical relevance of the observed high occurrence of loose abutment screws could be questioned, as all fixed prostheses were initially recorded as stable.
authors.affiliation: National Orofacial Resource Centre, Odontologen, Göteborg, Sweden. anders.ekfeldt@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekfeldt
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Lars-Ake
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000044:Dental Abutments; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation