Soft Tissue Changes Assessment In Screw-Retained Maxillary Implant Supported Complete Denture with Electric Welded Metal Framework Versus Casted One (Rct, Split Mouth Design)

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess the changes in the soft tissues in screw-retained maxillary implants supported complete denture with electric welded framework versus casted metal framework. Six implants were inserted in the edentulous maxilla of 11 patients after fabricating a complete dentures for each one, A split-mouth design was used in this study, where, either the left or the right side of the edentulous maxilla was blindly chosen to weld a titanium bar directly inside the patient`s mouth using electric welding machine, while with the other side the conventional casted technique for the fabrication of the metal framework was used, then both sides picked up with patient’s previously fabricated denture using hardliner, the soft tissue changes were investigated in the aspect of probing depth in four sites around each implant. Insignificant difference was found in the probing depth level between the two groups the conventional cast metal framework and the intraorally welding bar, the mean probing depth showed a reduction with time from 3.79 mm immediately after loading to 2.92 mm after 9 months of loading in the conventional group and from 3.79 mm to 2.88mm in the welded bar group. the intraoral electric welding technique presented a satisfactory outcomes in terms of the soft tissue changes, and with being cost-effective and a less time as compared with the conventional casting technique Keywords: screw-retained, hybrid prosthesis, casting, intraoral welding