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Purpose: To evaluate the circumferential bone level and morphologic changes in the posterior mandibular ridge of mandibular overdenture wearers submitted to conventional and immediate loading through CBCT at 1 and 3 years. Materials and Methods: In total, 20 participants who received two narrow-diameter implants (NDIs; Facility-Equator, Neodent; 2.9 × 10 mm) were randomly allocated to the conventional loading (CL; n = 10) or immediate loading (IL; n = 10) group. CBCT scans were performed in each group to analyze the vertical bone level (VBL) and horizontal bone level (HBL) around the implants, analyzed together with the posterior bone remodeling of the mandible measured at distances of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm from the mental foramen (L1 to L4, respectively). Differences between groups were verified using Student t test at a significance level of 5%. Results: The IL group showed a significantly higher HBL in the first year (P = .028) and a significantly higher VBL in the third year (P = .032), with an HBL of -0.22 mm and VBL of -0.59 mm, respectively. After the third year, the percentage of cortical and medullary height indicated that the IL group presented a significantly higher percentage of cortical bone height (40.1 ± 9.3 mm) compared to the CL group (31.8 ± 5.8 mm) at position L1 (P = .05). No difference was found for posterior ridge remodeling (P > .05). Conclusions: The IL group showed slightly higher HBL and VBL values and locally displayed more replacement of medullary bone by cortical bone. However, circumferential bone levels in the IL group were still clinically acceptable, and the posterior resorption rate remained stable after 3 years of function, irrespective of the loading type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The "one-abutment, one-time" concept entails the placement of a definitive abutment at the time of implant placement, without removal during prosthesis manufacture, with the aim to promote a safer environment for the periimplant tissues. Identifying surgical and radiographic parameters that can assist with the abutment height selection would facilitate the adoption of the one-abutment, one-time concept. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the role of surgical and radiographic parameters as predictive factors for abutment height selection in implant-retained single crowns. Materials and Methods: This prospective study assessed the role of surgical and radiographic measurements in the implant survival and success rates and marginal bone loss in implant-retained single crowns. Implants were placed in both healed sites and extraction sockets, and the distances between the implant platform and alveolar bone crest, implant platform and gingival margin, and buccal gap (when present) were recorded using a straight periodontal probe. Digital radiographs were made at implant placement (T0), abutment height selection (Ta), and 1-year follow-up (Tf), and the distance between the implant platform and the alveolar bone crest (mm) was assessed. Linear regression models and Pearson correlation were used to assess the influence of primary and secondary outcomes on abutment height. Results: A total of 130 implants were placed in 68 patients. The mean surgical distance between the bone crest and the implant platform was 1.71 ± 1.01 mm, and the mean distance from the gingival margin to the implant platform was 3.94 ± 1.90 mm, while at the abutment selection appointment, the mean transmucosal height was 3.58 ± 1.50 mm. A high linear correlation was found between the selected abutment height and two primary outcomes: the radiographic implant platform to alveolar bone crest distance at T0 (r² = 0.66; P < .001) and the transmucosal height at Ta (r² = 0.81; P < .001). Conclusion: Radiographic measurements of the distance between the implant platform and the alveolar bone crest at implant placement can serve as an important parameter to select the abutment height for definitive restorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of facial type and anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy of complete denture wearers on residual ridge height, masticatory performance, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and satisfaction levels.Materials and Methods: A total of 56 edentulous patients (mean age of 67.1 years) were radiographically evaluated prior to rehabilitation to determine residual ridge height in the maxilla and mandible, facial type, and anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy. Masticatory performance tests with 40 chewing cycles were applied. The Dental Impact on Daily Living questionnaire was used to measure OHRQoL and satisfaction. Data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression.Results: Dolichofacial participants presented with significantly higher bone height than mesofacial and brachyfacial types in the anterior region of the maxilla and mandible and had more mandibular bone than mesofacial types in the premolar region. Class II patients presented significantly higher bone height than Class I participants in the anterior maxilla. Dolichofacial patients performed significantly better than brachyfacial patients in the masticatory performance test. Class I patients achieved more homogenous artificial food trituration than Class III patients (P < .05). High OHRQoL scores were reported in appearance and general performance irrespective of facial type or anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy.Conclusion: Dolichofacial patients had superior masticatory performance compared to brachyfacial patients. Class III patients showed a reduced capacity to homogenize the food bolus. Mesofacial, dolichofacial, and Class III patients reported the best perceptions of their OHRQoL. Anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy seems to be the main factor contributing to mastication impairments in totally edentulous patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the influence of age and time since edentulism on masticatory function and quality of life related to oral health (OHRQoL) in totally edentulous patients after implant-retained mandibular overdenture (IMO) loading. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 33 patients categorized in two age groups (≤ 65 and > 65 years, respectively), and two time since edentulism groups (< 25 and ≥ 25 years). The masticatory function was evaluated through the masticatory performance and swallowing threshold tests before IMO loading, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after IMO loading. The OHRQoL was evaluated by applying the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-EDENT) and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaires, before loading and after 3, 6, and 12 months. Data were subjected to the Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples. Results: The masticatory performance and swallowing threshold were not influenced by the age nor by time since edentulism, except 6 months after IMO loading when patients ≤ 65 years of age performed the swallowing threshold test in a significantly shorter time with a reduced number of masticatory cycles (P < .05). The masticatory performance and swallowing threshold outcomes showed a gradual improvement up to 12 months, irrespective of the patient categorization. The GOHAI questionnaire scores showed that the OHRQoL was influenced by age in complete denture wearers with a difference between groups in the psychosocial and global domains. The time since edentulism was not affected by the GOHAI scores of complete denture wearers (P < .05). The OHIP-EDENT questionnaire only indicated significant differences as a function of age or time since edentulism between complete denture wearers. Age was associated with significant differences in the physical pain domain outcome, while time since edentulism did not affect only the psychologic discomfort, psychologic inability, and handicap domains. Conclusion: Neither the age nor the time since edentulism influenced the masticatory function of IMO-wearing patients. However, IMO significantly improved the masticatory function in totally edentulous patients, and this is more evident for younger patients (≤ 65 years) with a shorter time since mandibular edentulism (< 25 years). The OHRQoL is only influenced by age and time since edentulism in complete denture wearers; IMO treatment eliminates these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]