Effect Of Denture Teeth Materials On The Supporting Structures Of Mini-Implants Retained Mandibular Overdentures

Abstract

In this study, fourteen completely edentulous patients were selected from the outpatient clinic of Prosthodontic Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University. The selected patients were free from any systemic diseases that affects the surgical procedure and healing process, temporomandibular joint disorders and with no history of para-functional habits. Patients were subjected to thorough examination to detect any abnormalities in ridge, mucosa or temporomandibular joint and for each patient; a diagnostic panoramic radiograph was made. All patients were rehabilitated with upper and lower complete dentures following the conventional technique. After the step of jaw relation, patients were randomly divided into two equal groups according to the type of material of the artificial teeth used in denture construction into: Group I: Patients in this group were rehabilitated by mini-implant retained mandibular overdentures having cross linked acrylic artificial teeth. Group II: Patients in this group were rehabilitated by mini-implant retained mandibular overdentures having composite artificial teeth. Four mini implants were inserted in the mandible in the inter-formina area using flapless technique for all patients in both groups following the same surgical steps. Measurements of the changes in marginal bone height mesial and distal to each mini-implant were made at time of denture loading, 6 and 12 months after denture loading. Radiographic evaluation using digital panoramic radiography was followed. The results were collected, tabulated and statistically analyzed. The results showed that bone loss around mini-implants in group I was higher than group II, and it was of statistical significance.