ABSTRACT
Purpose: The Target of this study was radiographic evaluation of the bone height changes in
splinted and non-splinted two implant retained mandibular overdentures with Locator attachment
Materials and Methods: In this study, a total of twenty eight implants with locator attachment
were placed in fourteen patients with completely edentulous mandible. The patients were randomly
grouped into two groups: Splinted implants Group: Patients had received overdenture reinforced
with metallic framework & the locators' metallic housings were embedded to the metal framework.
Unsplinted implants Group: Patients had received implant overdentures retained with two unsplinted or solitary locator attachments. Bone height change measurements around each implant
were performed at day of loading, six then twelve month using CBCT scan.
Results: The results of this study revealed that the least bone height changes was noticed in
splinted implants Group. Compared to Unsplinted implants Group with no statistically significant
difference throughout the whole study period.
Conclusions: Within the limitations of this short-term randomized controlled study, it may be
concluded that there are no difference between splinting implant with metal framework enforcing
the overdenture and connected to the metal housing of locator attachment in the amount of bone
height changes around the implant than the unsplinted implant.
KEYWORDS: edentulous mandible, overdenture, metal reinforcement, splinted, unsplinted,
implant locator attachment.