Modified protocol of the intraoral welding technique for immediate implant-supported rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to report the outcomes of a treatment option of immediate loading with intraoral welding on only 4 implants for the restoration of patients with maxillary edentulism. Seventeen consecutive patients were rehabilitated with 2 parallel and 2 tilted implants in the maxilla. Immediately after implant placement, angulated abutments were screwed on the implants to create better parallelism among the implants; thereafter, a titanium bar was intraorally welded to the welding pins to create a superstructure that rigidly splinted the implants. A fixed full-arch durable prosthesis was delivered on the same day of the surgery. The patients were followed for 26.5 months on average. During the follow-up time, 2 implants were lost giving an implant survival rate of 97%. Nonetheless, all the prostheses remained in function and the prosthetic success was 100%. The rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla with an immediately loaded full-arch prosthesis, obtained through intraoral welding on only 4 implants, is a functionally and esthetically successful treatment.