Cost-Effectiveness of CM-LOC Attachment versus Ball Attachment Retaining Single Implant Mandibular Overdentures

AIM: To investigate the cost-effectiveness of the novel CM-LOC attachment compared to the gold standard ball attachment in single implant mandibular overdenture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-two completely edentulous patients (50 to 69 years old) seeking to improve the retention of their complete mandibular dentures by installing a single implant in the midline of the mandible were recruited for this study. The patients were equally divided into two groups. The first group received a ball attachment abutment over the implant and the second group received CM-LOC attachment abutment. The initial cost and aftercare (maintenance) cost were calculated for each attachment and compared to each other. RESULTS: The initial cost of the CM-LOC attachment was 2.2 times that of the traditional ball attachment. The after-care cost of the CM-LOC attachment was 2.39 times more than the ball attachment. The total cost of the CM-LOC attachment was 2.22 times that of the ball attachment. CONCLUSION: The ball attachment system showed better cost-effectiveness compared to the CM-LOC attachment from the beginning of the study and throughout all the treatment period during the first year.