TREATMENT OF THE EDENTULOUS MANDIBLE WITH A VESTIBULOPLASTY COMBINED WITH INTRAMOBIL ZYLINDER IMPLANTS - A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

The long-term success of endosseous implants is related to healthy per i-implant tissues, Attached keratinized mucosa does not seem important for the prevention of soft tissue complications. Prevention of muscle attachment near the implants, however, seems more decisive for mainta ining a favourable peri-implant environment. We treated 150 patients f rom 1990-91 with two Intramobil Zylinder implants and modified vestibu loplasty, 65 of whom were randomly selected for evaluation at 1 year; 48 of the 65 mere also seen at 5 years, The vestibuloplasty was done b y the technique of Pichler and Trauner, to prevent muscle pull and to create a thin layer of mucose around the implants, and endosseous osse ointegrated implants were inserted. The results show an adequately dee pened vestibulum with no muscle pull around the implants and significa ntly lo,cer pocket depth after 5 years of follow-up compared with simi lar studies.