Risk factors for implant-supported overdenture failures: A systematic review

Implant-supported overdenture presents failures. To minimize and avoid the occurrence of implant and prosthetic complications, a number of considerations must be taken into account. This systematic review aimed to point out variables associated with failure rates of implant-supported overdenture.

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were implemented during carrying out this systematic review.

An automatic electronic literature search of peer-review articles was conducted on the MEDLINE database by querying its PubMed portal, the Cochrane Library and LILACS in addition to a complementary manual search. Clinical trial (CT), Randomized controlled trial (RCT) and Observational study (OS) from 2018 to 2023 were included. Two examiners, independently, selected studies based on the inclusion criteria and recorded the extracted data. The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated via the Cochrane Collaboration's tool.

After the screening and eligibility assessment stages, the inclusion criteria allowed to retain 20 articles: 13 RCT, one prospective CT, three prospective studies, two retrospective studies and one cross-sectional OS. The synthesis of the articles allowed to deduct that the failures of the implant-supported overdenture are variable and related to several factors such as the general condition of the patient, the edentulous arch, the number of implants and the loading protocol, which can be considered to minimize them.

Aptitude of the dentist and regular follow-up as well as intense patient care can minimize implant-retained overdenture failure rate. In spite of this, this denture remains the best solution suitable for most patients and providing them with comfort, satisfaction and improved quality of life.