Prosthodontic Maintenance of Fixed Implant Restorations vs. Implant Overdentures: A Systematic Review

Objectives: To compare the prosthodontic maintenance requirements of fixed implant prosthesis versus that of implant overdentures after an observation period of at least 1year. Methods: An electronic search was performed using PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL databases for articles published in English till the end of September 2015. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohort studies (PS) which compared maintenance requirements of fixed versus removable implant supported full arch prostheses. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstract, made data extraction and appraised the quality of included studies. Findings: From a total of 21 relevant studies identified, 2 RCTs and 6 PS fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The most common prosthetic complications affecting both types of prostheses were abutment screw loosening and fracture, prosthetic teeth fracture, frame work/bar fracture, acrylic resin denture base crack/fracture and denture remake. Most of the included studies were PS, and the RCTs were considered of high risk of bias accordingly there is no enough evidence to conclude that a group is superior over the other. Application/Improvements: To perform a true comparison, well designed RCTs should be held out. Besides, the evaluation of prosthodontic maintenance should be standardized between studies to come out with a definite conclusion..