Immediate restoration of fixed partial prostheses supported by one-piece narrow-diameter selective laser sintering implants: a 2-year prospective study in the posterior jaws of 16 patients.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a new technique that allows implants to be produced by annealing titanium powder microparticles in a focused laser beam, according to a computer-generated model. The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival and success rate of immediately restored 1-piece narrow-diameter SLS implants, placed in the posterior jaws, after 2 years of functional loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the 2-year follow-up examination, several parameters were assessed. Success criteria included absence of pain, suppuration, exudation, implant mobility; distance between the implant shoulder and the first visible bone-to-implant contact <2.0 mm; and absence of prosthetic complications. RESULTS: Thirty-seven implants were placed in the posterior jaws (14 maxilla, 23 mandible) of 16 patients (9 males, 7 females). The prosthetic restorations comprised 16 immediately restored fixed partial prostheses. No implant failure occurred, resulting in a 100% survival rate. The implant success was 94.6%, and the mean distance between the implant shoulder and the first visible bone-to-implant contact (DIB) was 0.4 ± 0.3 mm. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the hypothesis that 1-piece narrow-diameter SLS implants can be used in fixed prosthetic rehabilitations in the posterior regions of both jaws with a predictable positive outcome.