Dental Implants as Strategic Supplementary Abutments for Implant-Tooth-Supported Telescopic Crown-Retained Maxillary Dentures: A Retrospective Follow-up Study for Up to 9 Years

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to present the results of implants and natural teeth used as combined abutments to support maxillary telescopic prostheses. Materials and Methods: Between 1997 and 2004, 22 patients with residual maxillary teeth underwent prosthodontic rehabilitation with supplementary implant placement of implant-tooth-supported telescopic prostheses. A total of 60 supplementary implants (mean: 2.9 implants; SD: 1.6; range: 1 to 5 per patient) were placed in strategic position and connected with 48 natural abutment teeth (mean: 2.2 teeth; SD: 0.9; range: 1 to 4 per patient) using telescopic crowns. The follow-up registration included implant and natural tooth survival rates and peri-implant and periodontal parameters, along with prosthodontic maintenance. Natural tooth abutments were additionally followed to compare their periodontal parameters at baseline to the follow-up examination. Results: After a mean of 38 months (12 to 108 months) no implants or natural tooth abutments were lost (survival rate: 100%). There was no fracture, endodontic treatment, loss, or intrusion of natural teeth used for telescopic abutments. Implant abutments showed high stability and excellent peri-implant soft tissue conditions. Natural tooth abutments used for double crowns also showed uneventful progress. A low rate of prosthodontic maintenance was seen, with implant screw abutment loosening as the most severe complication (3 of 60 implants; 5%). Conclusions: On the basis of this retrospective clinical review, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) successful function over a prolonged period and a minor complication rate of implant-tooth-supported telescopic maxillary dentures may be anticipated, and (2) the great variety of treatment modalities offered by tooth-implant support for telescopic prostheses appears to be useful as a treatment option for the maxilla in elderly patients