Implant-retained mandibular overdentures versus conventional dentures: 10 years of care and aftercare.
OBJECTIVE
This 10-year prospective, randomized, clinical trial investigated the treatment outcome of edentulous patients treated with mandibular overdentures retained by 2 endosseous implants compared with conventional dentures in patients with or without vestibuloplasty.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-one edentulous patients (5 groups) with a symphyseal mandibular bone height between 8 and 25 mm participated. Sixty-two patients were treated with an overdenture retained by 2 implants (groups 1 and 3), 59 patients were treated with a conventional denture (groups 2 and 5), and 30 patients were treated with a conventional denture after preprosthetic vestibuloplasty (group 4). Patients who received conventional dentures but preferred implants later on could undergo implant surgery after 1 year of their initial treatment, but were analyzed in their original group. The prosthetic and surgical care and aftercare were scored during a 10-year evaluation period.


RESULTS
One hundred thirty-three patients completed the 10-year follow-up evaluations. Forty-four percent of patients treated with conventional dentures switched within 10 years to implant-retained overdentures, versus 16% of the patients who were treated with conventional dentures after vestibuloplasty. On average, a greater time investment and more treatment sessions were needed in patients treated with implant-retained overdentures compared to patients treated with conventional dentures.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients treated with an implant-retained overdenture need more treatment interventions and treatment time than patients treated with conventional dentures.
Visser
Anita
A
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, The Netherlands. a.visser@kchir.umcg.nl
Meijer
Henny J A
HJ
Raghoebar
Gerry M
GM
Vissink
Arjan
A
D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003729:Dental Care; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003781:Denture Retention; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014727:Vestibuloplasty
D015921:Dental Implants