title: Immediate Loading of Dental Implants in Edentulous Mandibles by Use of Locator® Attachments or Dolder® Bars: Two-Year Results from a Prospective Randomized Clinical Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to evaluate survival and incidence of complications for pairs of implants placed in the front region of edentulous mandibles and immediately loaded with either bar or Locator attachments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six patients with edentulous mandibles (mean age 69.4 years at inclusion in the study; 73.9% male) received two implants in the interforaminal area of the symphysis. Dolder bar or Locator attachments, allocated randomly, were then attached immediately, and both clips and a framework were fastened to the denture by the dental technician within 72 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first 3 months of the 2-year period of observation, eight implants in five patients were lost, and were removed. Survival was 89.1% and 93.5% for the bar and Locator groups, respectively. During the entire period of observation, 38 prosthetic complications required aftercare. Five dentures had to be removed or reworked after implant failure, but no superstructure was lost or had to be remade for prosthetic reasons. Survival of the original dentures was 93.5% and 95.7% for the bar and Locator groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this study, results from immediate loading of two implants in the edentulous mandible with either Locator or bar attachments hardly differed. Prosthetic complications and aftercare measures in the Locator group were frequent but easy to handle. Ease of repair and cleaning, in particular, might be reasons for choosing the single-attachment system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kappel
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolaos Nikitas
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Giannakopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eberhard
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rammelsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Constantin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eiffler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001862:Bone Resorption; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000601:surgery*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: Locator; bar; edentulous mandible; immediate loading; implant; overdentures; survival