Use of osseointegrated implants to retain obturator s of edentulous patients

Abstract EN

Five completely edentulous patients with acquired palatal defects were treated with implant retained obturators.

Each patient received four implants in the maxilla to retain the obturator, and two implants in the mandible for retention of an overdenture.

In the maxilla, the sites for implant placement were the remaining premaxilla, tuberosity and posterior alveolus.

Maxillary implants were splinted together by a tissue bar, to which the obturator was retained by means of clip attachments.

Patients were clinically and radiographically evaluated at time of obturator insertion, after six month and one year interval.

All implants demonstrated marginal bone loss during the first and second follow-up periods.

Bone loss around implants supporting obturator of the central defect, was close to the average marginal bone loss documented in the literature while that for maxillectomy obturator was slightly higher.

Moreover, implants next to the defect showed a statistically significant higher bone loss than the other three implants supporting the obturator of the maxillectomy patients.