Does immediate loading affect clinical and patient-centered outcomes of mandibular 2-unsplinted-implant overdenture? A 2-year within-case analysis.
To provide 2-year clinical- and patient-oriented data with regard to mandibular overdenture assisted by 2 immediately loaded unsplinted implants.



In this pre-post design, Phase-I clinical trial, 18 edentate individuals (62.4±7.7years) received a new set of complete denture. Then, following standard procedures, 3 threaded implants (OsseoSpeed TX™, Dentsply Implants, Mölndal, Sweden) were placed in the mandible in each patient, and locator abutments (Zest Anchors LLC, Escondido, U.S.A.) were inserted on the right and left side implants. The midline implant served as a control for within-patient comparison. The immediate loading was conducted within 24h of surgery. Data were collected at baseline (T0), 12 (T1) and 24 (T2) months after immediate loading. The clinical outcomes included implant survival rate, crestal bone level changes and implant stability. These criteria were assessed through clinical and radiographic examinations as well as resonance frequency analysis. Patient-centered outcomes included patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life measured using validated questionnaires. Brunner-Langer approach was used for statistical analysis.



Implant survival rate for immediate loaded implants was 91.7% at 2-year follow-up. None of the unloaded implants failed. There was no statistically significant difference at baseline and follow-ups with regard to clinical outcomes between loaded and unloaded implants. Patient satisfaction and quality of life improved (p<0.0001) from baseline to 2-year follow-up.



Immediate loading protocol did not negatively affect clinical outcomes, satisfaction and quality of life of patients wearing 2-unsplinted-implant mandibular overdenture for 2 years. This conclusion requires confirmation by randomized control trials.



Mandibular overdenture assisted by two immediately-loaded unsplinted implants is successful treatment based on 2-year clinical and patient-based outcomes.
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada. Electronic address: elham.emami@umontreal.ca.
Elham
E
Emami
Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Daiane
D
Cerutti-Kopplin
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Mélanie
M
Menassa
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Nicholas
N
Audy
Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
Naoki
N
Kodama
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Robert
R
Durand
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Pierre
P
Rompré
Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Pierre
P
de Grandmont
D000368:Aged; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015921:Dental Implants
Dental implants; Immediate loading; Mandibular prosthesis; Overdenture; Patient satisfaction