Evaluating the Long-Term Success of Removable and Fixed Prosthodontic Treatment in Completely Edentulous Patients: Comparative Clinical- Radiographic Study.

Abstract

Introduction: A clinician must choose the right treatment modality with various fixed and removable prosthetic treatments available for completely edentulous patients. This systematic review aims to evaluate removable and fixed prosthetic treatment modalities in a completely edentulous patient.

Material and methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and LILACS and a manual search across reference lists of included studies were done. The study analyzed clinical and radiological outcome for patients with completely edentulous arches, including bone loss, post-prosthetic rehabilitation challenges and hygiene maintenance across removable and permanent treatment options.

Results: A total of 2182 articles, which, after the thorough screening process yielded 10 studies for qualitative analysis. The success rates of implant-supported fixed prostheses (IFP) were greater than those of implantsupported overdentures (IOD) and complete dentures (CD), respectively. Nevertheless, there were significant differences in the success criteria across the various treatment options, making it futile to compare the success rates directly.

Conclusions: Comparing the fixed and removable treatment modalities for completely edentulous patients regarding successful outcomes is multifaceted and challenging due to the lack of comparable assessments with equivalent follow-up periods and similar outcome criteria.