Complication rates for various retention types in anterior implant-supported prostheses: A retrospective clinical...

Implant-supported prostheses have typically been retained by cement or screws, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. Two new types of prosthesis with complementary advantages and disadvantages have been proposed: the screw- and cement-retained prosthesis, which combines cement and screw retention, and the antiloosening inner-post screw (ALIPS) type, which uses lateral screws. Both esthetic and functional factors should be considered for anterior prostheses; however, clinical studies of the complication rates of these designs are lacking.

The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate the complications of dental implant-supported restorations with various prosthetic types in the anterior region and to analyze other factors that affect complications.

This study included 51 patients who had 83 implants placed in the anterior region by a single clinician between August 2009 and December 2016. Surgical and prosthetic features were recorded, and implant complications were analyzed.

There were 45 (55.4%) cement-retained implants, 5 (6.0%) screw- and cement-retained prosthesis implants, and 32 (38.6%) ALIPS-retained implants. Peri-implant mucositis was observed most frequently in the ALIPS type (21.9%), but the biological complications did not differ significantly with the prosthetic type. The most common mechanical complication was loss of retention in the cement type of prosthesis (30.4%) and screw loosening in the ALIPS type (43.8%). Implant complications varied with position (maxilla or mandible) and implantation timing (period from tooth extraction to implant placement).

The complications of implants placed in the anterior region were affected by different factors but did not differ significantly with the type of the retention.