Case Details
A “snap-on” oral prosthesis or removable implant overdenture is created from an old complete denture that the patient has been wearing for many years. Due to the lack of sufficient bone height above the inferior alveolar nerve in the posterior regions, dental implants are all placed in front of the mental foramina (the locations of the exit of the nerve). In this case, 4 dental implants of the desired sizes are placed via a free-handed surgical approach into the symphysis via a of the lower mandible (most anterior or front portion of the lower jaw) and the patient’s old denture is modified and converted that includes the implant attachments in the form of metal housings and silicon retention caps on the intaglio (underbelly) of the denture. In addition, the 4 ball attachment abutments are connected to the dental implants which will then join and secure themselves to the dental implant attachments. With the placement of 4 dental implants instead of the minimal amount of just 2 for the lower arch, the retention for the oral prosthesis will be greatly improved for the patient. In addition, by adding 2 extra implants the stability for the oral prosthesis will be pronounced and be quite noticeable by the patient especially during eating and chewing. In general, when it is financial feasible for the patient the amount of dental implants placed should always be increased to improve on the effectiveness of the oral prosthesis.
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Description: A patient's old complete denture is converted into a IMPLANT OVERDENTURE which is any removable oral prosthesis that attaches to dental implants. In general, the alveolar bone of the ridges changes shape over time so a newly made complete denture is recommended every 3-5 years but in this case, a newly made overdenture will be postponed due to financial reasons.
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Description: The patient's current old denture has been worn by the patient for 20+ years and as shown, is in desperate need of a replacement. For the time being, the denture will be converted to a removable oral prosthesis (implant overdenture) and will still prove to be an overall improvement despite the age of the denture.
