title: Overdentures in the edentulous mandible supported by implants and retained by a Dolder bar: a 5-year prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective study was performed to evaluate the outcomes of XiVE® S plus implants (Dentsply Friadent, Mannheim, Germany) following conventional restoration with bar structures and overdentures in the edentulous mandible.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 39 patients were treated with four interforaminal implants (n = 156) splinted by a Dolder bar. Overdentures were attached to the bars after 3 months of healing. As primary outcome measures, clinical and radiological parameters were evaluated at the time of implant placement (baseline) and once a year (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years) after functional loading. Secondary outcome measures included (i) primary stability and surgical complications, as well as (ii) Periotest® (Medizintechnik Gulden, Modautal, Germany) values, implant survival, and prosthetic complications at baseline and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 156 implants were placed. The vast majority (n = 149) were tightened to >30 Ncm, while torques in the range of 20-30 Ncm were obtained in the remaining cases (n = 7). Mean crestal bone levels around the implants were 0.41 mm at baseline and 1.04/1.20/1.34/1.45/1.44 mm after 1/2/3/4/5 years respectively. The mean values of the plaque, calculus, bleeding, and mucosal indices remained low throughout this period. The reported follow-up periods involved one implant loss after 3 months (survival rate: 99.4%) and one implant failure after 4 years (success rate: 98.4%). Prosthetic complications included factures of bars (n = 3) and denture teeth (n = 7). Prosthetic survival was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dolder bars to restore oral implants in the edentulous mandible appear to offer a high rate of implant survival, good stability of the peri-implant tissue, and a low rate of prosthetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heschl
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Payer
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Clar
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stopper
authors.forename: Walther
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wegscheider
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorenzoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000145:classification; D015921:Dental Implants; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003779:Denture Design; D003781:Denture Retention / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014093:Tooth, Artificial; D019415:Torque; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants