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Retaining Complete Overdentures With Immediately Loaded One-Piece Mini-Implants: A 24-Month Prospective Clinical
Alexander De Greef1, Samuel Akhondi2, Bahoz Sanaan1
1Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven & Dentistry (Periodontology), University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Objectives:
To evaluate 24-month clinical and radiographic outcomes of a minimally invasive protocol using flaplessly placed, immediately loaded one-piece mini-implants to retain complete maxillary and mandibular overdentures.
Materials And Methods:
This prospective single-center clinical study included 25 fully edentulous patients requiring improved denture retention in one or both jaws. Patients received six mini-implants in the maxilla and/or four mini-implants in the mandible. Existing or newly fabricated complete dentures were converted chairside into implant-retained overdentures for immediate loading. Implant survival, peri-implant clinical attachment level changes, and radiographic marginal bone level changes were assessed at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years.
Results:
A total of 158 mini-implants were placed, 120 in the maxilla and 38 in the mandible. At 24 months, 145 implants remained in function, corresponding to implant-level survival of 91.8%. Survival was 91.7% in the maxilla and 92.1% in the mandible. Mean radiographic marginal bone loss was 0.54 ± 1.64 mm in the maxilla and 0.80 ± 1.17 mm in the mandible, with no statistically significant interjaw difference (p = 0.774). Mean peri-implant clinical attachment loss was 0.89 ± 1.27 mm and 0.41 ± 0.57 mm, respectively, with significantly greater attachment loss in the maxilla (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Flapless placement and immediate loading of one-piece mini-implants provided favorable 24-month survival and limited peri-implant tissue changes when used to retain complete overdentures in selected edentulous patients. The protocol showed clinically relevant outcomes in both jaws, including the maxilla, where evidence for removable overdentures retained by unsplinted one-piece mini-implants remains limited. This minimally invasive approach may expand treatment options for edentulous patients with reduced denture retention, narrow residual ridges, or limited willingness to undergo augmentation procedures.