Tissue-integrated dental prostheses: the first 78 months of experience at the Mayo Clinic

During a 78-month period at the Mayo Clinic, 1,778 Brånemark endosseous dental implants were placed in the edentulous or partially edentulous jaws of 353 consecutive patients who ranged in age from 8 to 82 years. The largest treatment category involved edentulous mandibles, which accounted for 53% of the total restorations. Approximately 76% of the threaded cylindrical implants supported 312 oral prostheses at the end of the study period. The implant survival rate was 97.8% in the mandible and 88.8% in the maxilla. Complications associated with this treatment included loss of implant anchorage in bone, soft tissue problems, and mechanical difficulties related to design and function of the prostheses. All complications were managed without loss of continuous function of the prostheses, except in four patients who resumed wearing a conventional removable maxillary complete denture. This experience demonstrates that Brånemark endosseous dental implants are predictable and can provide lasting integration under function when placed and loaded in accordance with the recommended protocol.