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Published on: February 23, 2024
Retention characteristics of attachment systems for implant overdentures
Kwok-Hung Chung1, Cho-Yao Chung, David R Cagna
1Institute of Oral Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. chungk@uthscsa.edu
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to compare the retention characteristics of various overdenture attachment systems commonly used to retain overdentures to dental implants.
Materials And Methods:
An edentulous mandibular model was constructed incorporating 2 parallel 4.0 mm x 13 mm Branemark implants placed in the canine regions. Attachments were embedded in a metal-reinforced experimental overdenture designed to be dislodged from the model by a universal testing machine. Tensile dislodging force was applied to the overdenture at a cross-head speed of 50 mm/min. Five overdentures were constructed for each of the attachment systems. The attachments evaluated were the Hader bar & metal clip, Locator LR pink, Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, Magnedisc magnet, ERA white, and ERA gray. Each apparatus was tested with 5 specimens per attachment system. Peak load-to-dislodgement was measured. Analysis of variance and Scheffe multiple comparison tests were applied to the data with alpha< or = 0.05 level of significance.
Results:
Peak load-to-dislodgement for all attachment systems ranged from 3.68 +/- 1.32 N to 35.24 +/- 1.99 N. Strain-at-dislodgement, calculated from stress-strain curves, ranged from 0.78 +/- 0.20% to 2.78 +/- 0.5%. The ERA gray attachment demonstrated the greatest retention, with a peak load-to-dislodgement of 35.24 +/- 1.99 N, and a relatively low strain-at-dislodgement of 1.64 +/- 0.09%. Less retention was recorded for the Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Hader bar & metal clip, and ERA white systems. The Locator LR pink attachment demonstrated still less retention with a load-to-dislodgement of 12.33 +/- 1.28 N. Significantly high strain-at-dislodgement was recorded for the Hader bar & metal clip and Locator nylon attachment systems. The lowest dislodging loads and strains were recorded for the Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, and Magnedisc magnet attachments.
Conclusions:
Results suggest that the attachment systems evaluated may be grouped into high (ERA gray), medium (Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Hader bar & metal clip, ERA white), low (Locator LR pink), and very low (Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, Magnedisc magnet) retention characteristics.
