Abstract: Objective: To study clinical application of locator implant overdenture in elderly edentulous restoration. Methods: The edentulous patients who underwent locator implant overdenture restoration in the Department of Prosthodontics, Binzhou Medical College Hospital from February 2014 to March 2017 were included. The probing depth(PD) and modified plaque index were recorded at the time of follow-up. Plaque index, mPLI), modified Bleeding Index(mBI), marginal bone resorption(MBL). Results: A total of 46 patients(139 implants) were enrolled. The average follow-up was 25 months. The mean PD, mPLI, and mBI were 1.6±1.1, 0.9±0.6, and 0.8±0.5, respectively. The bone resorption at the implant margin was(1.2±1.0)mm, (1.1±0.9)mm. The scores of PD, mPLI, and mBI were significantly higher when oral hygiene was poor(less than 3 minutes for each brushing time and less than 2 times a day)(P<0.05). The bone resorption of 3-4 marginal implants was significantly less than that of 1-2 implants(P<0.05). Conclusion: Locator implant overdenture can achieve good clinical results in soft and hard tissues in a short time. The number of implants should be increased as much as possible when designing locator overdenture implant. Proper oral hygiene maintenance after permanent repair is the key to ensuring long-term soft and hard tissue stability.

Key words: edentulous jaw, dental implants, locator overdenture, oral hygiene