Implant-supported full lower denture - using ITI Implants

An 80-year-old female patient presented with a new set of full dentures and complained that she could not eat comfortably. She in fact could not wear the new lower denture for any period of time without very severe pain. She had a very atrophic resorbed mandible and the soft tissues that were very fragile. It appeared that the only way that the patient could eat comfortable would be to stabilize the lower denture and to take the load off the soft tissues. It was felt that implants would be the best option for the patient.

   Patient's pre-operative appearance showing very thin non-keratinized mucosa with very little residual ridge.  

                            The mental nerves were positioned at the ridge crest, and provide little room for implant application in the

                            posterior.

   Panoramic radiograph showing the severe atrophy due to long term denture wear.

   Surgical placement of four ITI 4.1 and 4.8mm solid screw implants. There were four standard octabutments

                            placed at the time of surgery and torqued to 35 Ncm.

    Four repositionable transfer copings placed on the implants over the octabutments.

    A four unit bar was fabricated. The lower denture was relined and retentive clips incorporated in the reline.

    The tissue bar was seated and the occlusal screws torqued to 35 Ncm.

   The modified denture ready for seating.

   The patient's denture seated.

   The tissue bar secure and the healing at 12 weeks

   Final facial view of a happy and comfortable patient.

   Final panoramic radiograph

Conclusions
Our edentulous patients can have their lives improved so much with dental implants. It is easy to add four implants to an existing prosthesis. This is not a new concept. The ITI system has enabled this since 1974.

[Reproduction (modified) from ITI's website]