title: Space requirement of a prefabricated bar on two interforaminal implants: a prospective clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This clinical study measured the dimensional changes of existing lower complete dentures due to the integration of a prefabricated implant bar. Additionally, the impact of this dimensional change on patient satisfaction and oral function was analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty edentulous patients (10 men/10 women; aged 65.9 ± 11.8 years) received two interforaminal implants. Subsequent to surgery, a chair side adapted, prefabricated bar (SFI Bar(®), C+M, Biel, Switzerland) was inserted, and the matrix was polymerized into the existing lower denture. The change of the denture's lingual dimension was recorded by means of a bicolored, silicone denture duplicate that was sectioned in the oro-vestibular direction in the regions of the symphysis (S) and the implants (I-left, I-right). On the sections, the dimensional increase was measured using a light microscope. Six months after bar insertion, patients answered a standardized questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All dentures exhibited increased lingual volume, more extensively at S than at I (P = 0.001). At S, the median diagonal size of the denture was doubled (+4.33 mm), and at I, the median increase was 50% (I-left/-right = +2.66/+2.62 mm). The original denture size influenced the volume increase (P = 0.024): smaller dentures led to a larger increase. The amount of denture increase did not have negative impact on either self-perceived oral function or patient satisfaction. Approximately, 95% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lingual size of a lower denture was enlarged by the integration of a prefabricated bar without any negative side effects. Thus, this attachment system is suitable to convert an existing full denture into an implant-supported overdenture.
authors: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors: Dominic
authors: D
authors: Albrecht
authors: Ami
authors: A
authors: Ramierez
authors: Urs
authors: U
authors: Kremer
authors: Joannis
authors: J
authors: Katsoulis
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Mericske-Stern
authors: Norbert
authors: N
authors: Enkling
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000379:methods*; D003781:Denture Retention / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: immediate loading; implant attachment; overdenture; patient satisfaction; prefabricated implant bar; space requirement; stress-free implant bar