Cobalt-Chromium as a Framework Material in Implant-Supported Fixed Prostheses: A 3-year Follow-up

Sixty-six consecutive patients treated at the Prosthodontic Clinic in Uppsala, Sweden, received implant-supported fixed prostheses of the Brånemark type. The prosthesis frameworks were made of cobalt-chromium alloys. Different techniques for attaching the gold cylinders to the frameworks were used. Mechanical attachment with autopolymerizing polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), partial soldering combined with PMMA attachment, and soldering only were used. No abnormal tissue reactions were seen. Radiographic examination of the implants was performed at the time of prosthesis placement and at the 1- and 3-year follow-up visits. A few cases of minor bone loss were detected but not related to the materials used in the superstructures. Keywords: alloys, Brånemark implants, design, framework, osseointegration, prosthodontics, soldering