TREATMENT RESULTS WITH IMMEDIATE OVERDENTURES - AN EVALUATION OF 4.5 YEARS

In a controlled clinical trial, 74 patients who required complete imme diate dentures were randomly treated with immediate mandibular overden tures on two mandibular canines with or without magnetic attachments o r with complete immediate dentures, All were borderline situations for overdenture therapy, The patients were evaluated for 4.5 years after denture insertion, The results demonstrated that 50% of the dentures h ad been renewed or had required replacement; in this respect, no diffe rences were found among the three groups, In the overdenture groups, 1 5% of the abutments were extracted; most abutment restorations were re placed or had to be replaced, Two thirds of the magnets were lost or i n bad condition, No significant differences were found in relation to patient satisfaction; most patients were satisfied with their dentures , It is the authors' opinion that even though the abutment conditions were disappointing after 4.5 years, mandibular overdenture therapy is indicated in borderline situations because of the 50% reduction in man dibular bone loss found.