title: Modified protocol of the intraoral welding technique for immediate implant-supported rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to report the outcomes of a treatment option of immediate loading with intraoral welding on only 4 implants for the restoration of patients with maxillary edentulism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen consecutive patients were rehabilitated with 2 parallel and 2 tilted implants in the maxilla. Immediately after implant placement, angulated abutments were screwed on the implants to create better parallelism among the implants; thereafter, a titanium bar was intraorally welded to the welding pins to create a superstructure that rigidly splinted the implants. A fixed full-arch durable prosthesis was delivered on the same day of the surgery. The patients were followed for 26.5 months on average.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the follow-up time, 2 implants were lost giving an implant survival rate of 97%. Nonetheless, all the prostheses remained in function and the prosthetic success was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla with an immediately loaded full-arch prosthesis, obtained through intraoral welding on only 4 implants, is a functionally and esthetically successful treatment.
authors.affiliation: *Private Practice, Unit of Implant Prosthodontics, "Ferrari e Marchesi-dottori associati," Modena, Italy. †Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. ‡PhD Student, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Superbi
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jimbo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading / Q000379:methods*; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014896:Welding
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants