Unsplinted implants retaining a mandibular overdenture with magnetic attachments: a short-term clinical study in controlled type 2 diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: This short-term prospective study evaluated the clinical outcome of unsplinted implants retaining a mandibular overdenture with magnetic attachments in controlled type 2 diabetic patients. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Twenty-eight completely edentulous patients (18 men and 10 women) with controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus received a total of 56 implants (two per patient) in the canine region of the mandible using the standardized two-stage surgical protocol. All patients complained of insufficient retention of their mandibular denture. New maxillary complete dentures and mandibular overdentures were fabricated. Overdentures were connected to the implants with magnetic attachments. Each implant was evaluated at the time of prosthetic loading, and 6, 12, and 24 months thereafter. Clinical evaluation was performed using Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), probing depth (PD), implant stability (ISQ), and vertical bone loss (VBLO). Cumulative success and survival rates were calculated using life table analysis. RESULTS: After 2 years of overdenture insertion, there was a significant increase in PI, GI, PD, and VBLO. ISQ decreased significantly after 6 months of loading then increased again after 2 years. The cumulative survival and success rates of the implants were 91% and 87.5% respectively. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the clinical outcome of unsplinted implants retaining a mandibular overdenture with magnetic attachments in controlled type 2 diabetic patients was favorable after 2 years. However, long-term randomized controlled trials are needed to compare the clinical outcome of unsplinted implants in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.