Maxillary interim overdentures retained by splinted or unsplinted provisional implants.
OBJECTIVE
The survival rate of splinted and unsplinted provisional implants for anchoring removable interim overdentures, as well as handling and maintenance of the interim dentures, was evaluated.


METHODS
Eighteen edentulous maxillae were provided with 72 provisional implants for anchoring interim overdentures. For 10 patients, 40 unsplinted implants were used with conical copings to retain the provisional prostheses, while for 8 patients 32 implants had a splinted bar architecture for supporting the interim prostheses. Failure rate of provisional implants, as well as handling and behavior of the anchored interim overdentures, was followed until definitive prosthetic restoration and compared between groups.


RESULTS
Eighteen (25.0%) of the 72 provisional implants were prematurely lost. The loss rate of unsplinted implants (37.5%) was significantly higher than that of splinted implants (9.3%). Patient handling and maintenance of maxillary interim overdentures during the follow-up period was found to be easier with the splinted bar-retained method than with the unsplinted prosthodontic method.


CONCLUSIONS
Placement of provisional implants fulfilled the requirements for initiating immediate prosthetic rehabilitation and showed that removable interim overdentures can be adequately stabilized and provide added patient comfort and satisfaction. The results suggest benefits of the splinted retention modality over the unsplinted method because of advantages regarding failure rate, patient handling, and interim denture maintenance.
Krennmair
Gerald
G
University Professor and Clinical Lecturer, Dental School, University of Vienna, Austria. krennmair@aon.at
Fürhauser
Rudolf
R
Weinländer
Michael
M
Piehslinger
Eva
E
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003779:Denture Design; D003781:Denture Retention; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013165:Splints
D015921:Dental Implants