Laser-Welded Titanium Frameworks for Fixed Prostheses Supported by Osseointegrated Implants: A 2-Year Multicenter Study Report

Nineteen prosthodontic clinics participated in a prospective study of fixed prostheses supported by osseointegrated implants (FPOIs) with laser-welded titanium frameworks. Ninety-three patients with 100 FPOIs were included and followed for 2 years. The results from this group were compared to another group that was examined retrospectively. In the retrospective group (control group), 91 patients received 96 FPOIs with cast frameworks, and these patients were treated shortly before the patients in the titanium-framework group (test group). The two groups were treated at the same centers. The results for both groups were good, with only 1.2% of loaded implants lost during the follow-up period (1.6% in the titanium-framework group; 0.7% in the control group). One framework in each group fractured. However, in complete maxillary cases, there were significantly more subjects in the titanium-framework group who were affected by implant losses compared to the control group. There was also a tendency towards more fractures of artificial teeth and acrylic resin in the titanium-framework group, compared to the control group. A possible explanation might be that dental technicians at the different centers were not used to the design of the titanium frameworks when the study began. Thus, the results from the first 2 years are promising, but further studies are needed to establish the long-term serviceability of laser-welded titanium frameworks. Keywords: dental implants, multicenter study, titanium frameworks