Influence of Age on Clinical Performance of Mandibular Two-Implant Overdentures: A 10-Year Prospective Comparative Study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this prospective comparative study was to assess whether age has influence on peri-implant health in patients treated with mandibular two-implant overdentures during a 10-year evaluation period.


METHODS
A prospective study was carried out with two groups of edentulous patients, viz a younger (n = 52; mean age 45 years, 35-50 years) and an older (n = 53; mean age 68 years, 60-80 years) group. In all patients, two dental implants were placed in the interforaminal region of the mandible and after a 3-month healing period overdentures were fabricated. Clinical and radiographic parameters were evaluated immediately after completion of the prosthetic treatment, and after 1, 5 and 10 years. Implant loss, plaque index, gingival index, bleeding index, and probing depth were assessed as clinical parameters. Peri-implant bone loss was assessed on dental radiographs made with a standardized long-cone technique with a direction device.


RESULTS
Implant survival after 10 years was 97.1% and 93.4% in the younger and older group, respectively. Ten-year scores of plaque, gingiva, and bleeding were between 0 and 1 for both groups (possible scores 0-3), and mean probing depth was 3 mm in both groups. Mean peri-implant bone loss after 10 years was 1.2 and 1.4 mm in the younger and older patients, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical performance of mandibular two-implant overdentures is equally successful in younger and older patients.
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Arie R
AR
Hoeksema
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Anita
A
Visser
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Gerry M
GM
Raghoebar
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Arjan
A
Vissink
University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, Dental School, Department of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Henny J A
HJ
Meijer
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
ageing; dental implants; elderly; gerodontology