Chewing efficiency, bite force and oral health‐related quality of life with narrow diameter implants ‐ a prospective clinical study: results after one year

Abstract

The stabilisation of a lower complete prosthesis with four NDIs is a feasible minimally invasive and economical approach to improve oral function and OHRQoL, especially in elderly patients with limited bone support. Functional benefits might be more evident if patients receive chewing instructions. Larger studies need to confirm a positive effect on chewing efficiency and develop long-term maintenance solutions if patients become frail because no easy downgrading approaches of one-piece titanium implants exist.

Mini‐implants and narrow diameter implants as mandibular overdenture retainers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical and radiographic outcomes

“…The selected studies were divided into two groups, one with studies using MI (n = 24) and another using NDI (n = 12). The MI group consists of 1 cross‐sectional clinical study, three retrospective longitudinal clinical studies, 13 prospective longitudinal clinical studies and seven randomised clinical trials . Eight studies used conventional loading, 13 used immediate loading, two studies used both loading types, and one study did not report this information .…”

“…The MI group consists of 1 cross‐sectional clinical study, three retrospective longitudinal clinical studies, 13 prospective longitudinal clinical studies and seven randomised clinical trials . Eight studies used conventional loading, 13 used immediate loading, two studies used both loading types, and one study did not report this information . One study used bar attachments, one study locator attachments, 19 studies used ball attachments, and three studies used bar and ball attachments .…”

“…Eight studies used conventional loading, 13 used immediate loading, two studies used both loading types, and one study did not report this information . One study used bar attachments, one study locator attachments, 19 studies used ball attachments, and three studies used bar and ball attachments . The NDI group comprises three retrospective longitudinal clinical studies, six prospective longitudinal clinical studies and three randomised clinical trials .…”

“…The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated and classified separately, and the results are listed in Table . Of the 24 MI studies, 12 were classified as poor, 10 as fair and two were classified as good . Of the 12 NDI studies, two were classified as poor, seven were classified as fair, and three were classified as good .…”

Changes in masticatory performance of edentulous patients treated with single‐implant mandibular overdentures and conventional complete dentures

“…Therefore, these tests are not highly dependent on the maximum bite force, as the specimens are more deformable and often soft, but rather on the force, coordination and sensitivity of the soft tissues (eg, the tongue, palate and cheeks) that are affected by ageing itself, diminished capability of adaptation to the dentures and poor mandibular denture retention . Of course, the structures are less, if at all, affected by any implant therapy designed to stabilise the denture; consequently, these tests often fail to demonstrate a short‐term (up to 1 year) effect on chewing efficiency . The mixing ability test was also found to be more appropriate for patients with compromised oral function than the comminution test …”