Immediate loading implants with mandibular overdenture: a 48-month prospective follow-up study

The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate patient rehabilitation with two immediately loaded implants and bar-retained mandibular overdentures after 48 months of follow-up. Twenty patients were treated with two implants each; of these, 17 patients were re-evaluated for comparison. Gender, age, plaque index, gingival inflammation, keratinized mucosa, probing depth, bleeding, and implant loss data were recorded, and periapical radiographs were obtained for measurement of marginal bone loss. The results were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation test. To compare the data at baseline and after 48 months, a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was performed (α = 0.05). One implant failed (2.9%) during the first year and was replaced. A total of 35 implants were evaluated. Bone loss values were 0.52–2.89 mm (mean, 1.46 mm). Probing depth was 1.75–3.75 mm (mean, 2.22 mm). Correlations were found between bone loss and plaque index and between bone loss and gender, but bone loss did not correlate with gingival inflammation, keratinized mucosa, probing depth, or age. The overall survival rate of the implants was 97.1%. Based on these results, the use of two immediately loaded splinted interforaminal implants to retain an overdenture with a bar attachment is a clinically viable option with a high survival rate.