title: In vivo evaluation of occlusalcontact area and maximum bite force in patients with various types of implant-supported prostheses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of various implant retained and/or supported prostheses on number of occlusal contacts (NOC), occlusal contact area (OCA)and maximum bite force (BF).
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 56 patients were included in the study; five test groups and two control groups. The patients in the treatment groups received implant-supported/retained prosthesis; over-dentures retained with two individual attachments in occlusion with complete denture, with four individual attachments in occlusion with complete denture, with four individual attachments in occlusion with fixed partial dentures or natural dentition, 6-implant retained fixed bridges in occlusion with natural dentition and 8-implant retained fixed bridges in occlusion with natural dentition. The patients in control group 1 were wearing conventional complete maxillary and mandibular dentures, whereas in control group 2 they had fixed full-arch porcelain-fused to metal restorations prostheses for both arches. Dental Pre-scale was used measure the NOC, BF and OCA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment and control groups, among the groups with regards to NOC. OCA demonstrated different results among the removable and fixed reconstruction groups. With regards to BF, removable dentures supported with four implants showed higher bite force values than controls and two implant over-dentures. Also, a fixed reconstruction using eight implants showed higher BF values than a fixed reconstruction using six implants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of implants for removable dentures and fixed reconstructions improve occlusal contact area and bite force.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baca
authors.forename: Esengn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yengin
authors.forename: Bılge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gökçen-Röhlig
authors.forename: Suichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D001732:Bite Force; D015921:Dental Implants; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D017266:Dental Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants