Clinical effect of 2 attachments used in implant-supported mandibular overdentures

Abstract

Objective To compare the clinical effects of the magnetic attachments and ball attachments for treatment of edentulous mandible with implant-supported overdentures. Methods This retrospective analysis was conducted among 64 patients receiving treatment with implant-supported overdentures for edentulous mandible between April, 2010 and December, 2014. Magnetic attachment was used on the implant-supported overdentures in 32 of the patients and ball attachment was used in the other 32 patients. The masticatory efficiency, the patient's satisfaction and implant bone absorption were evaluated in the two groups at 1 week and 3 years after the implantation. Results The patients reported significantly better comfort with the magnetic attachment than with the ball attachment (P=0.019), but the latter had better retention and stability at 1 week after dental restoration (P=0.014). No significant differences were found in the masticatory efficiency (P=0.975) or the patients' satisfaction (P=0.787) between the two groups. At 3 years after dental restoration, the retention force of the magnetic attachment showed significantly less reduction than that of ball attachment (P=0.000), but the bone resorption (P=0.609), masticatory efficiency (P=0.933), or the patients' satisfaction (P=0.932) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion The magnetic attachment has more stable retention than ball attachment at 3 years after dental restoration, but the masticatory efficiency and the patients' satisfaction are comparable between the 2 attachments.

Keywords

• implant-supported overdenture
• magnetic attachment
• ball attachment
• masticatory efficiency
• satisfaction