The Ball Welding Bar: A New Solution for the Immediate Loading of Screw-Retained, Mandibular Fixed Full Arch Prostheses

Table 1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for enrollment of patients in the study.

Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria
() Complete mandibular edentulism, with functional and aesthetic problems related to the presence of a complete, removable conventional denture.	() Severely immunocompromised status, severely uncompensated diabetes, radiotherapy of head and neck area, chemotherapy, and treatment with intravenous and/or intraoral amino-bisphosphonates.
() Irreparably compromised mandibular dentition, due to advanced periodontal disease or destructive/massive tooth decay that made the residual dental elements unrestorable.	() Psychiatric disorders.
() Sufficient bone volume to allow for the placement of implants of at least 8 mm in length and 3.0 mm in diameter.	() Alcohol and/or drugs addition.
() Will to restore the masticatory function with a fixed mandibular prosthesis supported by dental implants.	() Need for bone augmentation procedures with autogenous bone or other bone substitutes, to allow for proper implant insertion.
() Ability to understand and sign an informed consent form for implant treatment.	() Previous interventions of regenerative bone surgery.