title: Immediate functional loading of provisional implants in the reconstructed atrophic maxilla: preliminary results of a prospective study after 6 months of loading with a provisional bridge.
abstract: Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of atrophic maxillae remains a challenging problem. The aim of this paper is to describe a novel treatment for functional rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla and to discuss preliminary results of this treatment protocol. A prospective pilot study was carried out in 10 patients who underwent bony reconstruction of atrophic maxillae under general anaesthesia, with autologous calvarial bone grafts and simultaneous placement of six provisional implants. The provisional implants were loaded with a provisional acrylic bridge 1 day after surgery. After 6 months, the provisional implants were removed and final implants were placed under local anaesthesia, again in an immediate loading concept with a provisional bridge, followed by a final bridge after another 6 months of healing. The bone grafts integrated well in all 10 patients without infectious complications. The prosthetic survival of the provisional bridge at the time of placing the implants was 100%. All final implants could be placed and immediately loaded with a second provisional bridge. Patient satisfaction was high due to limited postoperative inconvenience and immediate fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. The preliminary results of this pilot study demonstrate that this treatment protocol is a well tolerated treatment for patients with maxillary atrophy desiring dental rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, General Hospital St. John Bruges, Ruddershove 10, 8000 Bruges, Belgium.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lenssen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Clercq
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D001284:Atrophy; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000379:methods; D003794:Dental Restoration, Temporary / Q000379:methods; D003781:Denture Retention; D003825:Denture, Complete, Immediate; D003827:Denture, Complete, Upper; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants