Immediate Rehabilitation of the Edentulous Mandible Using Ankylos SynCone Telescopic Copings and Intraoral Welding: A Pilot Study

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the suitability of immediate rehabilitation of the edentulous mandible using SynCone copings and the intraoral welding technique. Patients with an edentulous mandible were fitted with a removable restoration supported by an intraorally welded titanium bar. Copings were connected to their respective SynCone 5-degree abutments and then welded to a titanium bar using an intraoral welding unit. This framework was used to support the definitive restoration, which was delivered on the day of implant placement. Restoration success and survival, implant success, and biologic or technical complications were assessed immediately after surgery and at 6 and 12 months. Twenty-two patients were consecutively treated with 88 immediately loaded implants. No acrylic resin fractures or radiographically detectable alterations of the welded frameworks were present in the 22 restorations delivered. One implant (1.1%) failed 1 month after surgery; all remaining implants (98.9%) were clinically stable at the 12-month follow-up. Within its limitations, this pilot study demonstrated that it is possible to successfully rehabilitate the edentulous mandible on the day of surgery with a definitive restoration supported by an intraorally welded titanium framework and SynCone 5-degree abutments.