Clinical evaluation of a fixed (retrievable) implant-supported prosthesis in the edentulous jaw: A 5-year report

Objective: This retrospective study evaluated the success rate of a fixed retrievable prosthesis based on an electroforming technique combining the advantages of screw- and cement-retained principles. Method and Materials: Forty patients (17 men and 23 women) with a mean age of 62.2 years were treated. A total of 353 implants were placed in the edentulous maxilla, mandible, or both jaws to allow prosthetic rehabilitations with 55 fixed prostheses. Clinical success of the implants was based on the criteria of Buser. Technical complications monitored throughout the wearing period are described. Retrievability of the restoration with a conventional crown remover was checked at 6, 12, and 36 months. The cumulative survival rate of the implants was measured. Results: After a mean observation period of 4.08 years (range 22 to 62 months), a cumulative survival rate of 99.15% was recorded for the 234 maxillary implants (234 Camlog RootLine, Camlog) and for the 119 mandibular implants (72 Camlog RootLine, 47 Camlog ScrewLine). Three implants failed before prosthetic loading. Monitored technical complications were seen in 10.91% of the restorations; they comprised ceramic chip-off and relining. Conclusions: This fixed implant-retained prosthesis based on electroforming indicates a comparable clinical efficacy to other techniques and allows scheduled retrieval. Keywords: dental implant, electroforming, fixed denture, retrievable, retrospective study, survival rate