title: Immediate loading of mandibular overdentures supported by one-piece, direct metal laser sintering mini-implants: a short-term prospective clinical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only a few studies have dealt with immediately loaded, unsplinted mini-implants supporting ball attachment-retained mandibular overdentures (ODs). The aim of this study is to evaluate treatment outcomes of ball attachment-retained mandibular ODs supported by one-piece, unsplinted, immediately loaded, direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) mini-implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 4-year period (2009 to 2012), all patients referred to the Dental Clinic, University of Varese, and to a private practice for treatment with mandibular ODs were considered for inclusion in this study. Each patient received three or four DMLS mini-implants. Immediately after implant placement, a mandibular OD was connected to the implants. At each annual follow-up session, clinical and radiographic parameters were assessed, including the following outcome measures: 1) implant failures; 2) peri-implant marginal bone loss; and 3) complications. Statistical analysis was conducted using a life-table analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 231 one-piece DMLS mini-implants were inserted in 62 patients. After 4 years of loading, six implants failed, giving an overall cumulative survival rate of 96.9%. The mean distance between the implant shoulder and the first visible bone-to-implant contact was 0.38 ± 0.25 and 0.62 ± 0.20 mm at the 1- and 4-year follow-up examinations, respectively. An incidence of 6.0% of biologic complications was reported; prosthetic complications were more frequent (12.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that the immediate loading of one-piece, unsplinted, DMLS titanium mini-implants by means of ball attachment-supported mandibular ODs is a successful treatment procedure. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Morphological Science, Dental School, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caprioglio
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Levrini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farronato
authors.forename: Piero A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Zecca
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000497:Alloys; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000145:classification; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003781:Denture Retention / Q000295:instrumentation; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008904:Miniaturization; D057873:Peri-Implantitis / Q000145:classification; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000379:methods; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000145:classification; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D003722:Dental Alloys; D015921:Dental Implants; C031462:titanium alloy (TiAl6V4); D014025:Titanium
keywords: Dental implants; dental prosthesis; immediate dental implant loading; lasers; mandible.