This study is an attempt to identify patient satisfaction with mini-implant overdentures compared to standard diameter implant-supported overdentures in completely edentulous patients. Implant-supported overdentures have been reported to offer many advantages like decreased bone resorption, reduced prosthesis movement, better esthetics, better occlusion and tooth positioning, improved occlusal load direction, and maintenance of occlusal vertical dimension. Two or four implants placed in the mandible or maxilla for implant-supported overdentures have been reported to improve quality of life compared to conventional dentures [12]. Standard diameter implants have been customarily placed; however, mini-implants have been tried in various randomized controlled trials. Mini-implants are usually less than 3 mm in diameter and are available as a single-piece system. The main advantage of using mini-implants compared to standard implants is that they could be used in individuals with large amount of bone atrophy. The other advantage of mini-implants are less invasive placement and shorter healing time, no need of bone grafts, less discomfort, and fewer complications. However, they are not indicated in patients with grinding and clenching. Four mini-implants are preferred for implant-supported overdentures in either arch [13].

Considering the advantages of mini-implants, various randomized controlled trials have been tried on mini-implant-supported overdentures for edentulous arches. Unfortunately, studies comparing mini-implants with standard diameter implants were few in number. The parameters tested in these studies were patient satisfaction, bone loss, clinical and radiographic parameters, post-operative pain and discomfort, and failures. In the present review, only four studies were identified comparing standard diameter implants to mini-implants for overdentures in edentulous patients. Only two out of the four reported patient satisfaction and this was found to favor mini-implants. The other outcomes measured in these included studies could not be pooled because of lack of sufficient data. This indicates a definite lack of evidence to compare mini-implants to standard diameter implants for overdentures. Considering the advantages of mini-implants, more high-quality randomized controlled trials comparing mini with standard diameter implants are to be initiated. These trials should be based on testing both patient satisfaction and also other clinical and radiographic outcomes measuring overall success of these implants for implant-retained overdentures.