Encode Protocol Versus Conventional Protocol for Single-Implant Restoration: A Prospective 2-Year Follow-Up...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Prosthodontics
• Clinical Research

Background:

• The Encode protocol streamlines dental implant restoration using a coded healing abutment.
• This technique allows impressioning without abutment removal, simplifying the process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the 2-year clinical performance of the Encode protocol versus the conventional protocol for single dental implant restoration.
• To evaluate patient satisfaction, esthetics, prosthesis hygiene, mucosal health, and complications.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial involved 47 implants allocated to Encode (24) or conventional (23) protocols.
• Clinical outcomes including patient-reported measures, biologic parameters, and prosthetic complications were assessed after 2 years.

Main Results:

• Both protocols showed comparable results across most evaluated variables.
• Screw loosening occurred in 10% of Encode and 21.1% of conventional restorations, leading to 2 conventional crown failures.
• Ceramic chipping was observed in 15% of Encode and 11.8% of conventional restorations.
• Survival rates were 100% for Encode and 89.5% for conventional crowns.

Conclusions:

• The Encode and conventional protocols yield comparable biologic, prosthetic, and esthetic outcomes over 2 years.
• The Encode protocol demonstrated a higher survival rate compared to the conventional method in this study.
• Both protocols showed an increase in open proximal contacts over the 2-year period.