Evaluate the Clinical Outcome of Prostheses Supported by Splinted: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background and aim: The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the clinical outcome of prostheses supported by splinted.

Method: Databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, ISI Web of knowledge and Embase were searched for systematic literature between 2016 to May 2022.  95% confidence interval for mean differences with fixed effect model and Inverse-variance method and odds ratio with fixed effect model and Mantel-Haenszel method were calculated. To deal with potential heterogeneity, random effects were used and I² showed heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata/MP v.16 software (The fastest version of Stata).

Result: In the initial review, duplicate studies were eliminated and abstracts of 284 studies were reviewed, the full text of 42 studies was reviewed by two authors, finally, seven studies were selected. Odds ratio of implant survival between nonsplinted and splinted groups was -0.16 (OR: 95% CI, -1.13 to 0.81; p=0.75). In nonsplinted group, the survival rate was 98.3% and in splinted group was 98%. Mean differences of marginal bone loss between nonsplinted and splinted groups was -0.06 (MD: 95% CI, -0.13 to 0.01; p=0.10);

Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, splinted short implants (≤8.5 mm) had a similar survival rate, mechanical complications and marginal bone loss compared to non-splinted implants.