Abstract
Few studies have assessed active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitated with implants. Improved knowledge about functional tactile sensibility will contribute to several clinical applications, such as protocols for immediate loading, prosthesis design, occlusal improvement in implantology, and physiological integration of implant-supported prostheses. The present study evaluated active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitated with Brånemark-type mandibular prostheses that impede the total mucosa-supported maxillary prosthesis. Thirty-five subjects participated in this study. The experimental group (n = 18) inclusion criteria were as follows: Brånemark-type prosthesis and a total mucosa-supported maxillary prosthesis. The control group (n = 17) was composed of participants with complete healthy dentition. Carbon foils with different thicknesses (12 μm, 24 μm, 40 μm, 80 μm, and 200 μm) were placed in the premolar region to evaluate the brink of active oral tactile sensibility. The researchers assessed the participants 120 times. After evaluation, we observed a statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the groups. Additionally, the degree of sensibility was found for all thicknesses, except for 12 μm, on both sides. There was a more significant increase in perception in the control group as the carbon thickness increased. The tactile sensibility threshold was 2.5 times greater for participants with prostheses. Thus, the tactile sensibility for mandibular implant-supported and maxillary mucosa-supported prostheses is significantly lower than that of dentate patients, which was detected above the thickness of 80 μm; in patients with natural dentition, different thicknesses were seen starting from 24 μm.
Highlights
Several studies have shown that implant-supported fixed prostheses are an excellent substitute for replacing lost teeth [1,2]
Improved knowledge about active tactile sensibility wi contribute to several clinical applications, including occlusal adjustment in implantolog protocols for immediate loading, prosthesis design, implant survival, and physiologic integration of implant-supported prostheses with the stomatognathic syste3mof.1T1herefor the aim of the study was to assess the active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitate with the Brånemark protocol prosthesis occluding on the total mucosa-supported pro inthteegsriast.ioTnhoefaimutphloanrst-shuypppootrhtedsizperotshthaetsaesctwiviethttahcetislteomseantsoigbnialitthyicisylsotweme.r Tinhetrhefeorseu,pportin thBeråainmemofatrhke pstruodtyocwoalsptrooasstsheessitsh.e active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitated with the Brånemark protocol prosthesis occluding on the total mucosa-supported prosthesis
A total of 35 participants were included in the study, in the control group and in the experimental group, with a mean age of 46 ± 20.9 years, of which 24 were men and 11 were women
Summary
Several studies have shown that implant-supported fixed prostheses are an excellent substitute for replacing lost teeth [1,2]. Despite the fact that patients who are rehabilitated with osseointegrated implants do not present significant impairment in their oral functions, the mechanism of compensation for lost periodontal ligament around the implants is not completely understood [3]. The tactile function of a tooth is diagnosed by the presence of periodontal ligament. Tooth extraction eliminates those sensitive periodontal mechanoreceptors directly impacting sensory feedback and, oral tactile function [3]. Whether with a conventional or implant-supported prosthesis, the tactile function remains jeopardized [4]. This fact may represent a subsequent risk of implant overloading [5]
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