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Mandibular two-implant overdentures: three-year prosthodontic maintenance using the locator attachment system
The International Journal of Prosthodontics
|July 1, 2011
Summary
This study compared prosthodontic maintenance for mandibular overdentures with Locator attachments. Locator nylon and Southern plastic showed fewer maintenance events and higher success rates than Straumann gold over three years.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Prosthodontics
- Implant Dentistry
Background:
- Mandibular overdentures supported by two implants offer an effective solution for edentulous patients.
- The Locator attachment system is commonly used, but its long-term prosthodontic maintenance requirements need further investigation.
- Comparative data on different matrix materials for Locator attachments is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the prosthodontic maintenance requirements of mandibular two-implant overdentures retained by Locator attachments with different matrix materials over a 3-year period.
- To assess the prosthodontic success rates associated with each type of matrix material.
Main Methods:
- A prospective clinical study involving 65 edentulous participants receiving complete maxillary dentures opposing two-implant retained mandibular overdentures.
- Participants were divided into three groups based on the matrix material used for the Locator attachment system: Locator nylon (n=21), Southern plastic (n=24), and Straumann gold (n=20).
- Prosthodontic maintenance events were meticulously recorded over 3 years using predefined categories.
Main Results:
- The mean number of maintenance events over 3 years was 3.52 ± 4.8 for Locator nylon, 2.08 ± 1.9 for Southern plastic, and 5.5 ± 4.2 for Straumann gold.
- Prosthodontic success rates were 90% for the Locator nylon group, 88% for the Southern plastic group, and 75% for the Straumann gold group.
- The Southern plastic and Locator nylon groups demonstrated significantly lower maintenance requirements compared to the Straumann gold group.
Conclusions:
- Locator nylon and Southern plastic matrices for mandibular two-implant overdentures require less prosthodontic maintenance and achieve higher success rates compared to Straumann gold matrices over a 3-year period.
- These findings suggest that the choice of matrix material significantly impacts the long-term clinical performance and maintenance needs of Locator-retained overdentures.
- Further research may explore the cost-effectiveness and patient-reported outcomes associated with these different matrix types.