The Up-to-14-Year Survival and Complication Burden of 256 TiUnite Implants Supporting One-Piece Cast Abutment/Metal-Ceramic Implant-Supported Single Crowns.

PURPOSE: To assess the estimated cumulative survival (ECS) and explore the technical and biologic complications of 256 TiUnite implants (Nobel Biocare) supporting one-piece cast abutment/metal-ceramic implant-supported single crowns (ISCs) in situ for up to 14 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective sequentially recruited cohort of 207 patients received 256 metal-ceramic ISCs on TiUnite implants between 2001 and 2014. All but 24 patients with 27 crowns were clinically evaluated between January 2014 and April 2015 in conjunction with or in addition to their tailored maintenance program. Radiographs were obtained, and any previously recorded treatments associated with the crowns were tabulated. The ECS and standard errors were calculated with the life table actuarial method and Greenwood's formula, respectively. The log rank test was applied to assess differences between anterior and posterior crowns. Complication incidence, severity, and economic burden, measured in time/cost accounting units (TAUs), were tallied and compared descriptively. Independent groups were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test and related groups with the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. RESULTS: The mean clinical service time of the crowns was 5.61 years (44 ≥ 10 years). The 14-year ECS was 95.95% ± 3.20% with no significant difference between anterior and posterior prostheses. Only seven implants lost marginal bone ≥ one thread from the time of crown insertion. There were 30 nonterminal complications (16 biologic, 14 mechanical). The associated economic burden was low (n = 35 TAUs). CONCLUSION: High gold-alloy one-piece cast abutment/metal-ceramic ISCs on TiUnite implants exhibited excellent longevity and few complications over 14 years.

Sterilization analysis of contaminated healing abutments and impression copings.

This study investigated sterilization of used implant impression copings and healing abutments. Components were analyzed after contamination with Enterococcus foecalis, followed by multiple rounds of sterilization by both steam autoclave and Chemiclave protocols. The authors' results demonstrated that used components showed sterility equal to new components without any visible distortion. These data suggest that component resterilization and reuse may be justified or at least considered in clinical practice. Also, implications for cost savings in the placement of implants are advanced.

Cost-effectiveness of endodontic molar retreatment compared with fixed partial dentures and single-tooth implant alternatives.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most challenging situations in dentistry is a failed root canal treatment case. Should a failed root canal-treated tooth be retreated nonsurgically or surgically, or should the tooth be extracted and replaced with an implant-supported restoration or fixed partial denture? These four treatment alternatives were compared from the perspective of cost-effectiveness on the basis of the current best available evidence. METHODS: The costs of the four major treatment modalities were calculated using the national fee averages from the 2009 American Dental Association survey of dental fees. The outcome data of all treatment modalities were retrieved from meta-analyses after electronic and manual searches were undertaken in the database from MEDLINE, Cochrane, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus up to April 2010. The treatment strategy model was built and run with TreeAge decision analysis software (TreeAge Software, Inc, Williamstown, MA). RESULTS: Endodontic microsurgery was the most cost-effective approach followed by nonsurgical retreatment and crown, then extraction and fixed partial denture, and finally extraction and single implant-supported restoration. CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that endodontic microsurgery was the most cost-effective among all the treatment modalities for a failed endodontically treated first molar. A single implant-supported restoration, despite its high survival rate, was shown to be the least cost-effective treatment option based on current fees.

Effort and costs of tooth preservation in supportive periodontal treatment in a German population.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of effort (number of visits) and costs of tooth preservation 10 years after initiation of anti-infective therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of 98 patients who had received active periodontal treatment 10 years ago by the same examiner were analysed to gather information on effort and costs of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Clinical examination, interleukin-1 (IL-1) polymorphism test, smoking, search of patients' files (i.e. initial diagnosis), as well as a questionnaire on medical history and socioeconomic data were performed. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: During 10 years of SPT patients had 14.8+/-7.4 visits. Number of visits was statistically significantly higher for individuals with a mean plaque control record >or=24 %. The number of subgingival scalings per tooth ranged from 0 to 14 (mean: 1.17). On tooth level several confounders could be identified: tooth type, initial bone loss, furcation involvement, abutment status, and previous regenerative surgery (p

A prospective study on immediate loading of implants with mandibular overdentures: patient-mediated and economic outcomes.

PURPOSE: The aims of this report are to present the patient-based outcomes and associated clinical costs of an immediate loading protocol for mandibular overdentures in edentulous patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two groups of patients were selected. Thirty-five consecutively treated patients received an immediate protocol, while 42 patients treated with a conventional protocol served as a historical control. Patient-based concerns for patients in the immediate group were measured at various stages of treatment with 2 questionnaires: the Denture Satisfaction Scale and the Oral Health Impact Profile. Direct clinical and time costs over a 1-year period were estimated and deflated to 2002 Canadian dollars. Salary rates by occupation, age, and gender were used to evaluate the patients' time costs. Treatment costs were compared between the 2 groups. Additionally, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for various stages with the immediate protocol were calculated. RESULTS: Significant improvements posttreatment were observed with both the Denture Satisfaction Scale (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P < .05) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (Friedman test, P < .05). The immediate protocol was associated with higher maintenance costs, with resultant higher total costs (Mann-Whitney U test, P < .05). No difference was observed in the time costs associated with the 2 protocols. Within-group analysis of costs at various stages of the immediate protocol suggested that treatment with implant-supported overdentures was more cost-effective than treatment with conventional dentures. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that implants in 1 jawbone lead to a substantial improvement in perceived oral health status. Furthermore, the immediate loading protocol was not cheaper than a conventional protocol.

Prosthetic complications in an implant-retained mandibular overdenture population: initial analysis of a prospective study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The clinical success of implant-retained, tissue-supported mandibular overdenture prostheses has been documented. However, few studies have evaluated the return visits and associated cost required to maintain these prostheses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the amount of maintenance required to provide acceptable and satisfactory implant-retained mandibular overdentures in a prospective clinical trial. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-eight patients received new maxillary and mandibular complete dentures followed by placement of microthreaded/TiOBlast implants in the mandibular left and right canine regions. At 3 months, ball abutments were placed, and the mandibular prostheses were relined to receive Dalla Bona-type ball housings (baseline). Prostheses were prospectively evaluated, and adjustments were made at 3-, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month recall visits and at nonscheduled visits for 9 types of prosthetic complications. RESULTS: Of 58 patients, 6 required no adjustments. The remaining 52 patients made 327 return visits (including 194 nonscheduled visits) for prosthesis and/or abutment adjustments. One hundred and fifteen practitioner hours were required to provide prosthetic solutions to patient concerns at the return visits. The total estimated cost for all professional and laboratory services was $12,624.00 ($218.00 per patient). CONCLUSION: Although mandibular implant-supported overdentures with Dalla Bona-type ball attachments are an acceptable treatment option for edentulous patients, routine maintenance is required to ensure successful long-term outcomes.

Affordable implant prosthetics using a screwless implant system.

Many dentists have been reluctant to place dental implants because they have found that most implants are costly and time-consuming to place and have long-term maintenance problems. Most of these problems are caused by using screws to connect the abutment to the implant, the crown to the abutment or both. The use of a screwless implant system and conventional prosthetics, the author contends, can make implant dentistry affordable, versatile and easy to incorporate into all general dental practices.

Implant marketing: cost effective implant dentistry.

The application of the KAL-Technique to the field of implant dentistry allows both patients and dental practices to benefit. It is an exciting advance that decreases frustration and stress in providing implant procedures and lowers overall costs. Professionals using the KAL-Technique report significant predictability in achieving passive framework fit. They are also lowering overall cost of implant cases, which increases the number of patients who can accept implant treatment. It has been well established that the more individuals in a practice that receive implants, the more referrals a practice will gain. This is because implant patients find tremendous advances in the quality of life, and do not hesitate to tell others who can take advantage of this opportunity. Implant dentistry is one of the fastest growing fields in dentistry today. While some other areas of dentistry begin to decline in volume and need, implant dentistry provides the opportunity to keep practices strong and to insure long-term success.

The role of the implant impression in abutment selection: a technical note.

Selecting the abutment at second-stage implant surgery should combine the experience of both the surgeon and the restorative dentist to avoid complications during prosthetic reconstructions. If an inappropriate abutment is selected, the resultant removal of the abutment and replacement of it with a completely different one is both costly and inefficient. The availability of the healing abutment component has eliminated many of these problems. Making an impression at the implant level allows the dentist ample time to study the restorative needs before selecting the final abutment.