[Comparison of Dental Implant Systems for Mandibular Overdentures]

Objective: To compare three implant systems in patients with severely resorbed mandibles 1 year after insertion of the mandibular denture.

Design: A prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Centers at University of Nijmegen and Groningen.

Methods: Three different implant systems were used: the transmandibular implant, the IMZ and the Brånemark system. Treatment was assigned to 88 patients according to a balanced allocation method. Evaluation included clinical and radiographic parameters. A Clinical Implant Performance scale (CIP) was constructed based on all conceivable complications of the different implant systems.

Results: During the healing period 1 IMZ- and 1 BRA-implant were lost. One TMI was removed after functional loading. The results of the clinical and radiographic parameters and the CIP-scale showed no significant differences between the three implant systems.

Conclusion: Taking the one year evaluation into account the three systems used did not differ in clinical and radiographic performance.