Success of Unsplinted Implant-Retained Removable Mandibular and Maxillary Overdentures: A Retrospective Study of Consecutive Cases

Implant-retained overdentures have been provided on both splinted and freestanding implants. For the mandible, a long history shows that both approaches can be successful over the long term. For the maxilla, many clinicians prefer to splint the implants because of concerns about softer bone quality and insufficient data supporting the use of freestanding overdenture abutments. However, a few investigations have found survival rates for unsplinted maxillary overdentures to be comparable to those for splinted ones. The present study analyzed records of consecutive patients who were treated with unsplinted maxillary and mandibular overdentures and followed for 4 to 107 months. A total of 31 overdentures were identified, 15 maxillary and 16 mandibular, supported by 129 implants. All the overdentures, along with all the implants, survived throughout the follow-up period.