The influence of various attachment types in mandibular implant-retained overdentures on maximum bite force and EMG

The type of attachment that is used in oral rehabilitation by means of implant-retained mandibular overdentures may influence the retention and the stability of the denture. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that a better retention and stability of the denture improve the oral function. Eighteen edentulous subjects received 2 permucosal implants, a new denture, and, successively, 3 suprastructure modalities. Maximum bite force and electrical activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles were measured. The maximum bite force nearly doubled after treatment for each of the 3 attachments. However, the average bite force after treatment was still only two-thirds of the value obtained for dentate subjects. No large differences in maximum bite force and muscle activity were found among the 3 attachment types. Temporalis activity was significantly lower than masseter activity when subjects clenched without implant support. There was no difference in activity when subjects clenched with implant support.