How fast can treatment with overdentures improve the masticatory function and OHRQoL of atrophic edentulous patients? A 1-year longitudinal clinical study

Evaluation and assessment of the survival of tooth implant supported prosthesis in tooth and implant supported rehabilitation cases with metal frameworks

INTRODUCTION

Over the years, implant therapy has been a commonly used treatment option for individuals who are partially or totally edentulous, with a long-term success rate of over 90%. With significant advancements in biomaterials and technology, implant dentistry can now conduct prosthetic rehabilitations in the majority of patients catering to all types of needs. However, in order to meet the demands of a patient base that is always growing, new trends in implantology are emerging in recent years that are focused on minimally invasive surgery and financial sustainability. In certain clinical scenarios, connecting teeth and implants to support fixed partial prosthesis (FPPs) may be a predictable and workable course of treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

22 patients were selected for this study who had tooth and implant supported prosthesis placed as a final restoration. Out of these 22 patients; 12 were male and 10 were female patients. Implants were placed following proper protocol and if grafting procedures were required they were carried out. A second stage surgical procedure was carried out and delayed loading protocols were followed. The statistical analysis was done using the IBM SPSS 24.0, Chicago, USA. The survival of the implants and teeth were measured by the Kaplan Meier survival scale. Bone loss was assessed at baseline(upon loading), 12 months and 24 months.

RESULTS

The implant survival rate was measured at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. At 24 months, one implant showed failure, so the survival rate of the implants were 95.4%. Bone loss of 1 mm was seen around one implant at 12 months. Bone loss of 1 and 2 mm was present around two implants and one implant respectively at 24 months.

CONCLUSION

From the results of this study, we can conclude that tooth implant supported prosthesis show very good survival when used in rehabilitation cases.

Immediate versus conventional loading of mandibular implant-retained overdentures: a 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

There is a scarcity of randomized clinical trials (RCT) that report medium- and long-term results and a lack of consensus in the literature on the predictability of immediately loaded unsplinted narrow diameter implants supporting mandibular overdentures. This RCT compared the performance of conventional (CL) and immediate loading (IL) of mandibular overdentures retained by two narrow-diameter implants for 3 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients from an RCT treated with CL or IL were invited to attend to 2- and 3-year follow-ups. Clinical, radiographic, functional, and oral health-related quality of life parameters were evaluated. Prosthetic maintenance events, biological complications, and success and survival rates were also recorded. The data were tested by multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analysis and chi-squared tests.

RESULTS

The 1-year survival rates of 90% in the CL group and 85% in the IL group were maintained as no implants were lost between 1 and 3 years. The marginal bone loss (MBL) in the IL group was significantly lower after year 3 (-0.04; p < 0.01). Significant changes were found only for the intra-group comparisons in the third year of function: (i) CL and IL presented similar progression of implant stability, MBL, and posterior bone area resorption; (ii) while CL started deteriorating of masticatory function, IL still exhibited functional evolution and (iii) oral comfort domain in the CL and pain domain in the IL were improved.

CONCLUSION

Although IL experienced the lowest MBL after 3 years, the outcomes showed that both loading protocols result in predictable medium-term rehabilitation when monitored annually.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

It can be expected that in the third year of function, patients with immediate loading may present more complaints related to general performance even with acceptable masticatory function and self-reported improvements in oral comfort.

Functional performance and impact on the quality of life of three treatment strategies for mandibular edentulism: Results of a parallel 3-group cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This parallel cross-sectional study compared masticatory function and patient-centered outcomes among 3 removable treatment strategies for mandibular edentulism.

METHODS

Thirty-six edentulous participants rehabilitated using 3 removable treatment strategies for mandibular edentulism were allocated to one of the three groups (n=12): CCD (control), 2-IMO, and 3-IMO. Narrow diameter implants were installed using single-stage surgery and conventionally loaded with stud abutments. After 3 months of usage, the quality of life, maximum bite force, and masticatory function were evaluated. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test and post hoc pairwise Mann-Whitney tests with Bonferroni correction (α=0.05).

RESULTS

The 2-IMO and 3-IMO wearers did not show significant differences in any outcome, except for the 2 domains of 3-IMO wearers quality of life that obtained better Pain and General Performance scores. Both IMO groups presented significantly higher maximum bite force than CCD wearers. The 2-IMO wearers showed superior outcomes to the CCD group in all outcomes of the masticatory performance test and the X50, B and ME5.6 outcomes of the swallowing threshold test (p = 0.01), while 3-IMO participants only showed superior masticatory performance in terms of lower X50 values (19.86%, p = 0.02) and higher ME 2.8 (141.15%, p = 0.04) than CCD wearers.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to 2-IMO wearers, 3-IMO wearers report superior impact of treatment on daily living activities in the Pain and General Performance domains. 2-IMO and 3-IMO wearers showed no significant differences between them for all evaluated bite force and masticatory function parameters.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Although overdentures retained by 3 implants (3-IMO) provide biomechanical advantages over those retained by 2 implants (2-IMO), superior clinical and functional effectiveness is not yet proven.

Oral function in completely edentulous patients rehabilitated with implant-supported dental prostheses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

This review evaluated the effects of rehabilitation with implant-supported prostheses on the oral function of completely edentulous adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Systematic literature searches were performed to identify records reporting on oral function in completely edentulous adults rehabilitated with implant-supported prostheses. Meta-analyses were performed on various outcomes including bite force, masticatory performance, muscle activity, mandibular movement/chewing pattern, and salivary flow.

RESULTS

5507 records were identified. Thirty studies qualified for data extraction and analysis. The kappa (𝛋) for the search and identification strategy ranged between 0.50 and 1.00. Meta-analysis was performed grouping the studies by outcomes and split by time points of 6-12 months, 12-36 months, and >36 months after implant therapy. The meta-analyses revealed a significant improvement in oral function of completely edentulous adults after rehabilitation with implant-supported prostheses at 6-12 months (Z = -4.895, p < .001; 95% CI: -0.703, -0.301; τ2  = .609; Q = 114.953, df = 17, p < .001; I2  = 85.2%), at 12-36 months (Z = -4.886, p < .001; 95% CI: -0.580, -0.248; τ2  = .908; Q = 280.611, df = 35, p < .001; I2  = 87.5%) and at more than 36 months (Z = -9.108, p < .001; 95% CI: -1.472, -0.951; τ2  = .019; Q = 7.918, df = 7, p = .340; I2  = 11.6%). The included studies demonstrated a low to moderate risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review concluded that the oral function of completely edentate adults significantly improved with implant-supported/retained prostheses, even when only one jaw received implant therapy. Therefore, implant therapy should be promoted for edentulous adults to alleviate the shortcomings of conventional complete removable dental prostheses.

Effect of mandibular bone atrophy on maxillary and mandibular bone remodeling and quality of life with an implant-retained mandibular overdenture after 3 years

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The medium-term effect of an implant-retained mandibular overdenture on bone remodeling in the maxilla and posterior mandible of edentulous patients and the effects on quality of life have not been established.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this prospective observational clinical study was to evaluate the 3-year effects of implant-retained mandibular overdentures on oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and bone remodeling in different regions of the maxilla and mandible in participants with atrophic or nonatrophic mandibles.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-six edentulous participants received 2 narrow-diameter implants in the anterior mandible. Mandibular bone atrophy was categorized from presurgical panoramic radiographs according to the Cawood and Howell criteria. OHRQoL was assessed by using the OHIP-EDENT questionnaire. Participants were evaluated annually for 3 years to measure the marginal bone loss and bone area of the posterior mandible, and the anterior and posterior regions of the maxilla were assessed annually through panoramic radiographs. The data were analyzed by using a mixed-effects linear regression to estimate time-dependent trends and a mixed-effect linear regression model to verify differences between groups. The Pearson correlation coefficients between bone variables and 3-year OHIP-EDENT outcomes were calculated.

RESULTS

In the third year, atrophic participants had a significantly lower marginal bone loss (0.02 mm) than nonatrophic participants (-0.39 mm) (P=.030). Differences were also found in the functional limitation (nonatrophic=1.82 ±1.75, atrophic participants=1.92 ±1.54; P=.018) and handicap domains (nonatrophic=0.36 ±0.54, atrophic participants=0.08 ±0.27; P=.003). For nonatrophic participants, comparisons between baseline and 3-year outcomes showed significant bone resorption as indicated by the area ratio in the anterior maxilla (P=.035), posterior maxilla (P=.022), and posterior mandible (P=.009). Conversely, the bone area of the anterior maxilla (P=.019) decreased in atrophic participants between baseline and year 1, while the bone area of the anterior maxilla and posterior mandible increased (P<.001) between years 1 and 3. Higher effect sizes were observed in the OHRQoL domains of the atrophic participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Bone atrophy influenced both the OHRQoL profile and bone remodeling profile in different regions of the mandible and maxilla in mandibular overdenture users. In atrophic participants, bone tissue in both jaws responded positively to overdenture use, with bone apposition after the first year and bone area preservation in the anterior maxilla, posterior mandible, and peri-implant regions after 3 years of follow-up.

Prosthetic complications and quality of life among wearers of mandibular overdenture with the Facility-Equator system

This longitudinal study aimed to assess the performance of the Facility-Equator system as mandibular overdenture (MO) retainers from a prosthetic perspective during 2 years of loading and to investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and whether prosthetic events can affect the OHRQoL. Twenty-four patients (68.1 ± 7.51 years) reported their OHRQoL through the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-EDENT) questionnaires before MO loading and after 1 and 2 years of usage. Prosthetic occurrences were recorded during this period. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman correlation coefficients. Of the 127 prosthetic events that occurred in the first year, the most frequent events were prosthesis adjustments (16.5%), dislodgement of the Equator attachment (14.17%), and O-ring replacement (11.8%). Eighty-seven prosthetic events were recorded in the second year, the most frequent events being prosthesis adjustments (27.6%), O-ring replacement (20.7%), and recapturing the female matrix (11.5%). All domains of the GOHAI and OHIP-EDENT questionnaires exhibited a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the baseline and 1- and 2-year evaluations, except in the Social Disability and Psychological Discomfort domains (p > 0.05) of OHIP-EDENT after 1 year. Complications related to prosthetic maintenance, such as fracturing of the prosthesis, Equator dislodgement, prosthesis rebasing, and new overdenture confection, affect the OHRQoL (p < 0.05), primarily the Physical Pain and Discomfort domains, especially in the first year of MO loading.

Single mandibular implant study - chewing efficiency - 5-year results from a randomized clinical trial using two different implant loading protocols

PURPOSE

To investigate the chewing efficiency of edentulous patients wearing complete dentures, treated with a single implant in the mandible, placed underneath the existing mandibular dentures, using two different loading protocols (immediate loading or conventional loading), over an observation period of 5 years.

METHODS

One-hundred and fifty-eight (158) edentulous seniors aged 60-89 years received an implant in the midline of the lower jaw and were randomized either to the immediate loaded group A (n=81) or the conventional loaded group B (n=77). Chewing efficiency was obtained before treatment, one month after implant placement during the submerged healing phase (only group B) and 1, 4, 12, 24 and 60 months after implant loading.

RESULTS

After 5 years, chewing tests from 89 patients (45 in the immediate loading group and 44 in the conventional loading group) were available for every recall visit and thus statistically analyzed. The chewing efficiency increased over time in both groups. A significant increase was observed up to 4 months after loading (p≤0.05). Later, chewing efficiency further increased, but not significantly. Between the two loading protocols, chewing efficiency did not differ significantly (p>0.05) at any follow-up investigation.

CONCLUSION

A single mandibular implant placed underneath existing mandibular dentures improves chewing efficiency of edentulous patients significantly over an observation period of 5 years, irrespective of the loading protocol.

Circumferential bone level and bone remodeling in the posterior mandible of edentulous mandibular overdenture wearers: influence of mandibular bone atrophy in a 3-year cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate circumferential bone level and morphological alterations in the posterior mandibular ridge of atrophic (AP) and non-atrophic (NAP) patients using implant-retained mandibular overdentures (MO) over 3 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-six edentulous patients categorized according to mandibular atrophy (AP = 13/NAP = 13) received two narrow diameter implants (Facility, 2.9 × 10 mm) in the anterior region of mandible. The vertical and horizontal bone level was measured along with bone remodeling at 4 distances from the mental foramen in the posterior region of the mandible (L1-L4) via CBCT.

RESULTS

NAP showed significantly higher total height and medullary height in all posterior regions at 1 and 3 years (p ≤ 0.01). Cortical height and width were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in this group at distances L1 and L4, respectively, in year 1. NAP shows a significantly higher % of medullary height at distances L1 (p ≤ 0.05), L2 (p ≤ 0.01), and L3 (p ≤ 0.05) after 1 year, and at all distances (p ≤ 0.05) after 3 years. Bone remodeling in the groups differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in terms of cortical width and % medullary width at L3.

CONCLUSION

AP and NAP showed similar vertical and horizontal bone level. Bone resorption in the posterior ridge was stabilized by MO over 3 years; however, AP are more susceptible to the long-term substitution of medullary bone by cortical bone.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study is the first to longitudinally evaluate bone dimensions in atrophic and non-atrophic two-implant MO users by CBCT and revealed that MO is a predictable treatment based on the stabilization of the posterior bone resorption.

Impact of rehabilitation versus edentulism on systemic health and quality of life in patients affected by periodontitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To investigate the effect of rehabilitation in fully/partially edentulous patients with stage IV periodontitis on oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and systemic health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic electronic and manual search was conducted. Three authors independently reviewed, selected, and extracted the data. Outcomes were OHRQoL (Oral Health Impact Profile 14 [OHIP-14] and OHIP-49, General Oral Health Assessment Index [GOHAI], visual analogue scale, symptoms registration) and systemic health-related outcomes (incidence and prevalence of systemic diseases, values of systemic disease indicators). Qualitative data were synthesized for OHRQoL and systemic health-related outcomes. Meta-analysis was conducted on available quantitative data.

RESULTS

The search identified 59 articles (6724 subjects in total). OHRQoL improved across all the studies, irrespective of the number of missing teeth, their location, or treatment modality. Meta-analysis showed significant improvement of OHIP-49 (36.86, p < .01) in manuscripts including subjects affected by periodontitis, consistently with the remaining literature (reduction of score points post rehabilitation: OHIP-14 = 10.52, OHIP-49 = 56.02, GOHAI = 5.40, p < .01 for all). Non-rehabilitated subjects exhibited inferior cognitive status, higher medication intake, and frailty. However, our data are limited and should be interpreted with caution.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral rehabilitation improves OHRQoL and, potentially, systemic health in edentulous patients. It is unclear whether these findings may be extrapolated to patients with stage IV periodontitis.

Prosthetic aftercare, mastication, and quality of life in mandibular overdenture wearers with narrow implants: A 3-year cohort study

OBJECTIVES

This cohort study investigated clinical, functional, and quality of life outcomes, along with prosthetic maintenance events in mandibular overdenture (MO) wearers for 3 years.

METHODS

Thirty MO wearers with narrow diameter implants (NDIs) and locking taper stud abutments (Facility-Equator system) were annually monitored by registering the visible plaque index (VPI), peri‑implant inflammation (PI), calculus presence (CP), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), secondary implant stability (ISQ), marginal bone loss (MBL), masticatory performance and dental impact in daily life (DIDL) questionnaire domains. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression was performed to analyse changes over time. Chi-square tests were performed to analyse the relationship between the appearance of prosthetic complications and maintenance occurrences. The survival rate of patients with NDIs was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier test.

RESULTS

Twenty-six individuals attended all follow-ups, the survival rate of 83.3% in the first year was maintained, and no one implant was lost over the 3-year period. There were significant differences for PD between 1 and 3 years (p ≤ 0.01) and between 2 and 3 years for PI (p ≤ 0.01), GI (p ≤ 0.01), ISQ (p = 0.02), and MBL (p ≤ 0.01). All masticatory performance outcomes showed significant differences (p ≤.01). Prosthetic maintenance events decreased significantly over time. Appearance, general performance, and eating and chewing domains presented high effect sizes.

CONCLUSION

Continued changes were observed in the clinical parameters of MO users over the 3-year period. In addition, most functional parameters, except for particle homogenization, improved significantly over time. The positive impact on quality of life is likely related to the significant reduction in prosthetic maintenance events.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Periodic returns to assess peri‑implant tissues and MO maintenance should be performed to ensure the success of rehabilitation to assure improvements in masticatory function and oral health-related quality of life.

Clinical Versatility of the Facility-Equator Implant System as Mandibular Overdenture Retainers

The use of mandibular overdentures (MO) for the rehabilitation of totally edentulous individuals with limited bone availability is widespread and has proven clinical success. Narrow diameter implants (NDI) are available on the market as MO retainers to solve problems related to limited bone availability and bone thickness, providing a low-cost, minimally invasive treatment option. This technique evolved over the years, and changes frequently involved the number of implants used as MO retainers, as the adoption of a smaller number of implants can generate biomechanical disadvantages, contributing to the increased stress in peri-implant tissues, which may accelerate marginal bone loss (MBL), in addition to reducing masticatory capacity and satisfaction with rehabilitation. Some studies pointed out that the use of 3 or more implants as MO retainers improves the biomechanics. Thus, the objective of this study was to report 3 different clinical cases where 3 or more NDI were adopted to retain mandibular overdentures in association with diverse loading protocols: (i) 3 implants adopting conventional loading, (ii) 4 implants using progressive loading, and (iii) 4 implants with hybrid loading. The case with 4 implants and progressive loading showed a slight worsening of masticatory function at 1 year, in addition to a more pronounced MBL compared to other cases, but with improvements in satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life. Thus, NDI can be used as MO retainers with predictability and clinical success, using different numbers of implants and loading protocols.

Comparison of psychometric properties of GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT as measures of oral health in complete edentulous patients aged 60 years and more

OBJECTIVES

To compare the psychometric properties of three OHRQoL indicators (GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT) in a group of complete edentulous subjects and to explore the ability of these instruments to distinguish between individuals with different prosthetic and oral health status.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. Edentulous individuals aged 60 years and more were recruited between January 2019 and February 2020 in a medical and dental care centers. The Lebanese versions of GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT were used. External and internal consistencies were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach alpha, respectively. The concurrent validity was evaluated by testing the indicators against a proxy measure of a similar concept. To test their discriminative abilities, the ADD (GOHAI and OHIP) and SC (GOHAI and OHIP) scores were dichotomized according to the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively, and multivariate analyses were performed using sociodemographic, clinical, and subjective health parameters as explanatory variables.

RESULTS

Two hundred and two edentulous subjects (age: 72.94 ± 7.378 years) were included. The proportion of subjects with no impact was lower for OHIP-EDENT (7.9%) compared to GOHAI (28.2%) and OHIP-14 (38.6%). Reproducibility was satisfactory for all OHRQoL tools since they were able to reproduce the results consistently in time (ICC > 0.80). The Cronbach alpha values were greater than 0.8 indicating acceptable internal consistency. The concurrent validity of the three tools was acceptable since subjects with lower OHRQoL score were less satisfied with their dentures and reported a higher need for self-rated therapy. Concerning the discriminant validity, OHIP-EDENT was more discriminant than OHIP-14 and GOHAI, since it was more able to identify patients with poor prosthetic issues or using instable denture.

CONCLUSION

The OHIP-EDENT was more effective in identifying edentulous individuals with oral and prosthetic problems. Our results can help decide which dental instrument to use to assess the perception of oral health in edentulous individuals. More prospective studies are required to compare their evaluative properties.

Evaluation of Bite Force and Masticatory Performance: Complete Denture vs Mandibular Overdenture Users

This cross-sectional observational study with 24 patients evaluated differences in bite force (BF) and masticatory performance (MP) between conventional complete denture (CCD) and implant mandibular overdenture (IMO) users and the correlation between these variables. The BF test was performed bilaterally with an occlusal force device. During the MP test, patients were asked to chew Optocal particles for 40 cycles. The Shapiro Wilk test was employed to verify the normality of the data, the student t test to identify differences between groups, and Pearson's correlation to investigate interrelationships between variables. A multiple linear regression was subsequently performed via the stepwise method. P values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. Unlike IMO users, CCD users presented a significant difference (25.6%) in BF between the dominant and non-dominant chewing side (p=0.04). IMO users presented significantly higher BF (p=0.01) without presenting a dominant side (p=0.38), and also performed significantly better for the following MP parameters: MPX50 values decreased by 27.25% in IMO users (p=0.01), MPB decreased by 48.38% (p=0.01), and ME 5.6 decreased by 53.25% (p=0.02), while ME2.8 increased by 151.57% (p=0.01). The BF and MPX50 in the IMO wearers group were negatively correlated (-0.57; p=0.05); this correlation coefficient was the only parameter included in the multivariate regression model. IMO users have higher BF and better masticatory performance than CCD users, especially in terms of chewed particles size reduction. MP is correlated with a higher BF in IMO users through better particle trituration.

Masticatory function and oral health-related quality of life of patients with atrophic and non-atrophic mandibles using implant-retained mandibular overdentures: 3-year results of a prospective clinical study

BACKGROUND

Long-term changes in masticatory function, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and prosthetic complications in implant-retained mandibular overdenture (IMO) wearers as a function of bone atrophy require detailed investigations.

OBJECTIVE

Investigating the evolution of masticatory function, OHRQoL and prosthetic occurrences of IMO wearers according to mandibular bone atrophy over 3 years of usage.

METHODS

This study evaluated 26 IMO wearers after 2 and 3 years of IMO loading categorised according to mandibular resorption degree into atrophic mandible (AM) and a non-atrophic mandible (NAM) group. Masticatory function was assessed by the Masticatory Performance (MP) and Swallowing Threshold (ST) tests; OHRQoL and satisfaction via the Dental Impact on Daily Living (DIDL) questionnaire; and the prosthetic maintenance requirements and complications were monitored.

RESULTS

After the second year, the AM Group performed 32% more cycles (P = .047) than the NAM Group during the ST test. The DIDL questionnaire showed no significant difference for all domains, except for a moderate effect size in the General Performance domain after the third year. AM Group had more prosthetic occurrences (n = 109) than NAM Group (n = 60) in the first year, mainly due to Equator attachment dislodgment. During the third year, NAM Group presented a greater number of events (n = 45) than AM Group (n = 21) due to the greater number of O-ring exchanges.

CONCLUSION

Masticatory function and OHRQoL are not related to mandibular bone atrophy until 3 years after IMO rehabilitation. The prosthetic complications profile differs between groups, mainly in the first year.

Do implant-retained mandibular overdentures maintain radiographic, functional, and patient-centered outcomes after 3 years of loading?

OBJECTIVES

Analyzing whether radiographic, functional, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) outcomes are maintained over 3 years of implant-retained mandibular overdenture (IMO) function and investigating the bite force associations in the 3rd year of function.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A longitudinal clinical study in which 24 IMO users were evaluated during a 3-year follow-up period. Patients' posterior area index, masticatory function, OHRQoL and bite force were assessed. The masticatory function parameter ST_X50 reflects the opening through which 50% of the crushed particles would pass, ST_B describes the homogeneity of the bolus, and the masticatory efficiency parameters ME_5.6 and ME_2.8 represent the % of material retained in the 5.6 and 2.8 mm sieves, respectively.

RESULTS

A significant increase in posterior area index (p ≤ .01) was found in all evaluated periods. Minor deteriorations in ST_X50 (p ≤ .01) and ME_5.6 (p ≤ .01) between the 2nd and the 3rd year coincided with improvements in ST_B (p ≤ .01), number of cycles (p ≤ .01), and cycle time (p = .02). The global OHIP-Edent score (p = .02) and the scores in the functional limitation (p = .02), psychological discomfort (p ≤ .01), and handicap domains (p ≤ .01) increased significantly between the 2nd and the 3rd year. Correlations between bite force and cycle time (p = .03) and between posterior area index and ST_X50 (p ≤ .01) and ME_2.8 (p = .02) were also found.

CONCLUSION

Changes in posterior area index, masticatory function, and OHRQoL are still ongoing during the 3rd year of IMO function. Bite force and posterior area index influence the masticatory function outcomes in the 3rd year of IMO function.

Immediate vs conventional loading of Facility-Equator system in mandibular overdenture wearers: 1-year RCT with clinical, biological, and functional evaluation

BACKGROUND

The use of immediate loading (IML) is still poorly explored in elderly patients and implant-retained mandibular overdenture (IMO) wearers. For this reason, more comparisons to conventional loading (CL) are required.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the clinical, biological, functional, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) influence of CL and IML loading on elders wearing IMO retained by the Facility-Equator system up to 1 year after implant installation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty edentulous patients received two narrow diameter implants in the mandible; the loading type (CL or IML) was randomized. The clinical parameters were monitored along with prosthetic events, marginal bone loss (MBL) and bone level change (BLC), implant stability quotients (ISQ), masticatory performance outcomes, and Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels in the peri-implant crevicular fluid during the first year of loading. The OHRQoL was assessed via the Oral Health Impact Profile-EDENT questionnaire. Data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney, χ² , Wilcoxon paired, and McNemar tests.

RESULTS

After 1 year, MBL, BLC and ISQ were statistically identical (P > .05) in the CL and IML groups. The probing depth at 12 months in the CL group (2.19 mm) was higher than in the IML group (1.29 mm; P ≤ .0001). TNF-α was 33.6% higher in the CL group at 6 months (P = .043), while IL-1β was significantly higher in the IML group up to 6 months. The survival rate was 90% in the CL group and 85% in the IML group; 33 prosthetic events occurred in CL group and 23 in IML group.

CONCLUSIONS

After 12 months, both loading protocols are viable and result in similar clinical, biological, functional, and OHRQOL outcomes. However, IML generates better adaptation of the peri-implant tissues, faster improvement in OHRQoL and fewer prosthetic intercurrences than CL.

Influence of facial patterns on the masticatory function and quality of life of completely edentulous patients during the transition to implant-retained mandibular overdentures

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Although implant-retained mandibular overdentures (IMOs) provide functional benefits, the influence of the vertical facial pattern (FP) and the anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy (ASD) on the masticatory function and patient-centered outcomes during the transition to IMOs is still uncertain.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this interventional clinical study was to evaluate the influence of the FP and ASD on the masticatory function, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and satisfaction of completely edentulous patients before and after transition to IMOs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cephalometric analysis was performed on 42 participants before treatment. Ricketts analysis was used to classify the FP, and the maxillomandibular relationship to the base of the skull determined the ASD. Masticatory performance (MP) and swallowing threshold (ST) test results were evaluated by the multiple sieve method by using artificial test food (Optocal cubes) to determine the median particle size (×50), homogenization index (B), and masticatory efficiency based on sieves 5.6 (ME: 5.6) and 2.8 (ME: 2.8). OHRQoL and satisfaction were evaluated by using the Dental Impact on Daily Living questionnaire. The data were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression models to estimate the effect of time, FP, ASD, age, and sex on MP, ST, and OHRQoL.

RESULTS

The MP, ST, OHRQoL, and satisfaction improved significantly after IMO loading, irrespective of FP and ASD. However, MP outcomes were most negatively affected mainly among dolichofacial (B and ME: 2.8), class II, and class III (×50, B, and ME: 2.8) participants. The ST test showed that class II participants still showed inferior ×50 values and performed a lower number of cycles than class I and class III participants. Women presented reduced masticatory function for all MP and ST outcomes and reported lower coefficients for appearance and general performance domains than men.

CONCLUSIONS

The MP test detected more subtle improvements than the ST test, especially in class III participants. The class II participants benefited the least from the IMO installation according to the ST test. The IMO treatment improved the OHRQoL and satisfaction of edentulous patients, irrespective of the FP or ASD.