The purpose of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic survival of two non-splinted implants immediately loaded with ball abutments for supporting mandibular overdentures. Thirty edentulous patients using full dentures (22 women and 8 men) with a mean age of 64 years were included in this study. Each patient received two inter-foraminal implants in the mandible, near the canine, with an insertion torque greater than 45 Ncm. Nonsplinted ball abutments were connected to the implants, and the overdenture was immediately loaded. The success of the implants was clinically and radiographically evaluated; along with the satisfaction level of the patients, after the first year of having placed the implants. One patient withdrew from the study. After 12 months the implants were loaded, the survival rate was of 98.27 %, one implant failed. The average bone loss was of 0.34 mm. No surgical complications were observed, minor prosthetic maintenance appointments were required. The satisfaction of the patients was of 89.3 %. The immediate loading of two non-splinted implants in the inter-foraminal area of the mandible retaining an overdenture by means of ball abutments is a predictable treatment, with a high success rate of survival and a favorable response of the peri-implant tissues. The patients showed good satisfaction with this treatment modality.
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