Retention Force of Custom-Made Abutments before and after Fatigue Load - An In Vitro Study

Objective
The aim of the study was to evaluate the retentive force value for custom-made
locators attached to implants at zero, 15, and 30-degrees angle.

 

Introduction
Edentulous patients with severely resorbed ridges lack supporting tissue and
may suffer from denture instability and lack of retention. An implant-supported
overdenture can offer these patients especially, those with an edentulous
mandibular arch–improved denture stability, retention, chewing ability, and
improved quality of life.¹ Maxillary implant overdentures are growing in
popularity, as they provide prosthesis stability and a palateless overdenture,
creating a natural feeling for the patient.² However, implant placement may be
challenging in the edentulous maxilla due to anatomic restrictions and the
pattern of bone resorption.² A custom-fabricated locator can be designed and
milled to a specific height, angulation, and emergence profile to correct for
challenging implant position and angulation. Its design is compatible with the
use of matrix component attachments of native locator abutments and acts as
an adapter to provide a parallel path of insertion for the denture attachment.
This improves the retention load and reduces the deformation of the
attachment.³ The retentive load and attachment wear resistance of custommade
locator abutments have not yet been assessed and reported in the
literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retentive force value for
custom-made locators attached to implants at zero, 15, and 30-degrees angle.