Influence of an Implant Fixture including a Freely Removable Micro-Locking Implant Prosthesis on Peri-Implant Tissues and Implant Prostheses: A Prospective Clinical Study

Abstract

This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a newly developed one-piece, screw-free, and micro-locking implant system, which was designed to overcome the shortcomings of the existing implant systems. Thirty-eight patients were recruited and randomly and equally assigned to an experimental group (micro-locking one-piece fixture, MLF; n = 19) or a control group (micro-locking abutment, MLA). Cumulative implant survival rates, marginal bone resorptions, probing depths, plaque indices, bleeding indices, and complications were obtained by using clinical and radiographic findings at 6 months and 12 months after prosthesis placement. Complications that occurred multiple times for single implants were counted. During the 12 month observation period, survival rates were 100% in both groups. No significant intergroup differences were observed for marginal bone resorption, probe depth, or bleeding index. However, mean plaque index was significantly lower in the MLF group at 12 months (p < 0.05). During the 12-month observation period, food impaction (26.3%) was the maincomplication in the MLF group and screw loosening (5.3%), prosthesis detachment (5.3%), and food impaction (5.3%) were observed in the MLA group. The results of this study suggest that the one-piece micro-locking implant system offers a predictable treatment method.

Marginal Bone Loss around Implants with Internal Hexagonal and Internal Conical Connections: A 12-Month Randomized Pilot Study

“…Prosthesis retention has been the focus of numerous studies. None of the retention methods is free of potential complications [48], including the newly proposed microlocking systems [49]. The screw-retained method seems, however, to be the most predictable and less problematic in terms of biological complications [50].…”

Immediate full-arch fixed rehabilitation of a narrow mandible with newly conceived connection system implants: A case report

“… 16 , 17 The snap-fit approach can simplify the connection procedure, and similar systems have been proposed in the literature. 12 , 14 , 18 …”

Implant-Supported Overdentures: Current Status and Preclinical Testing of a Novel Attachment System

“…In order to overcome problems resulting from inter-implant angulation as well as from impression inaccuracies, a novel attachment system [30] incorporating a flexible element (Figure 1) made out of superelastic [31] Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) has been designed [32]. Despite concerns regarding the biocompatibility of Nickel-containing devices [33,34], NiTi components have been introduced in implant dentistry for retaining fixed or removable restorations [35][36][37][38][39] and have also been envisaged for eliminating gaps at the implant abutment interface [40].…”