Implant-supported fixed cantilever prosthesis in partially edentulous jaws: a cohort prospective study

BACKGROUND: Reconstructive procedures present a higher rate of biological costs due to the necessity of bone harvest and grafts, use of semipermeable barriers etc. On the hand, implant supported cantilever prostheses could allow a simpler rehabilitation procedure. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical outcome of patients treated with implant-supported fixed partial dentures (FPD) with cantilever after a mean follow-up time of 8 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 45 consecutive partially edentulous patients treated between January 1994 and August 2006 with 59 partial cantilever fixed prostheses supported by 116 ITI implants. The primary outcome variable considered was the presence of complications at the subject and bridge level; the secondary outcome variable was marginal bone loss (MBL). The frequency of complications was analyzed according to cantilever location and opposite dentition and tested by Fisher's exact test. A multilevel regression model was constructed to analyze the factors influencing MBL with three levels: subject as the highest, and then implant and site. During the follow-up period, 11 implants showed a bone loss exceeding the limit for success, out of which two implants showed an infection of the peri-implant tissue. RESULTS: After an average observation of 8.2 years of cantilever prostheses loading, the implant success and survival rates were 90.5% and 100%, respectively. Besides, the prosthetic success and survival rate were 57.7% and 100%, respectively. DISCUSSION: None of the predictors included in the multilevel model presented a significant impact on the bone loss between baseline and the follow-up examination. CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded that the prognosis of implant-supported FPDs and marginal bone loss at implants were not influenced by the position or the length of the cantilever, the location of the bridge and type of opposite dentition. Implant-supported fixed cantilever prosthesis can be considered a suitable treatment choice