Influence of an Implant Fixture including a Freely Removable Micro-Locking Implant Prosthesis on Peri-Implant Tissues and Implant Prostheses: A Prospective Clinical Study.

This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a newly developed one-piece, screw-free, and micro-locking implant system, which was designed to overcome the shortcomings of the existing implant systems. Thirty-eight patients were recruited and randomly and equally assigned to an experimental group (micro-locking one-piece fixture, MLF; n = 19) or a control group (micro-locking abutment, MLA). Cumulative implant survival rates, marginal bone resorptions, probing depths, plaque indices, bleeding indices, and complications were obtained by using clinical and radiographic findings at 6 months and 12 months after prosthesis placement. Complications that occurred multiple times for single implants were counted. During the 12 month observation period, survival rates were 100% in both groups. No significant intergroup differences were observed for marginal bone resorption, probe depth, or bleeding index. However, mean plaque index was significantly lower in the MLF group at 12 months (p < 0.05). During the 12-month observation period, food impaction (26.3%) was the main complication in the MLF group and screw loosening (5.3%), prosthesis detachment (5.3%), and food impaction (5.3%) were observed in the MLA group. The results of this study suggest that the one-piece micro-locking implant system offers a predictable treatment method.

Effect of Double Screw on Abutment Screw Loosening in Single-Implant Prostheses.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effect of using a double screw on the prevention of abutment screw loosening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Internal connected abutment with a single screw (IS), internal connected abutment with a double screw (ID), external connected abutment with a single screw (ES), and external connected abutment with a double screw (ED) groups were prepared (n = 10 in each group). After 50,000 loading cycles, postload removal torque loss (RTL) percentage was measured. RESULTS: Postload RTL of ID and ED were smaller than those of IS and ES (P = .000 and P = .039, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study showed that a double screw was more effective in prevention of screw loosening.