In vivo load measurements on osseointegrated implants supporting fixed or removable prostheses: a comparative pilot study.

Load was measured in vivo on a single terminal abutment cylinder by means of a strain gauge technique. The clinical measurements were made on one female patient (age 62) provided with six implants in the edentulous maxilla. A fixed prosthesis was tested initially, followed by an overdenture supported by a bar connected to the implants. The results indicated that a significant force could be introduced when connecting the framework. Furthermore, measurements showed that compression/tension forces were lower in the overdenture situation. However, the preliminary data also indicated relatively higher bending moments on the implant when the overdenture was loaded.