Abstract
The aim was to systematically review the efficacy of immediate loaded mini dental implants (MDIs) to retain mandibular overdentures in regards to survival rates of MDIs, peri-implant clinical and radiographic tissue response and associated factors. A literature search of English literature was performed using Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, and PubMed using predetermined inclusion criteria. Specific terms were utilized in searching from the inception of the respective databases up to April 2021. The focused question was: Do immediate loaded MDIs supporting mandibular overdentures present favorable treatment options for prosthetic rehabilitation? The 11 articles included in the present review examined 349 patients (198 males + 171 females [66.65 +/- 6.28 years]) in which 1190 MDIs were placed to retain mandibular overdentures. The mean follow-up duration was 24.5 months. The cumulative survival rate of MDIs was 97.3%. The mean scores of plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, and bleeding on probing ranged between 0-3, 0-3, and 1.203-1.76 respectively, whereas the mean marginal bone loss values ranged from 0.42 +/- 0.56 mm to 1.26 +/- 0.64 mm. The results identified that the application of immediate loaded MDIs to retain mandibular overdentures are a potential treatment modality for edentulous patients.