Precyzyjnie dopasowane rozwiązanie. Proteza zębowa z poziomo połączonymi konstrukcjami

Precision-fit solution. Dental prosthesis with horizontally coupled structures

Implant cases in which the initial situation is problematic pose a considerable esthetic challenge to the dental technician. In complex cases of this kind, a dental prosthesis with horizontally coupled structures has proved to deliver excellent results.

For many years, the esthetics of the dental restorations I fabricated was extremely dependent on factors related to the patient or the technique used. In order to avoid unsightly margins, cemented restorations were frequently preferred over screw-retained versions. However, the fact that the cemented restorations prevented the clinical inspection of the implant was considered to be a disadvantage of these solutions. Furthermore, the cemented implant restorations often did not provide labial support, which in turn resulted in their low patient acceptance.

Based on an analysis of the options that were available to me, I developed a new approach to solving this problem. It requires the fabrication of two denture structures that are coupled together by horizontally sliding the overdenture component on the primary denture attachment. I started using this method three years ago. In the meantime, it has gained considerable acceptance by dentists and patients alike.

The idea behind this approach stems from a solution, which I developed for cases involving unfavourable implant positions or difficult implant angles. Due to the good results that I have achieved with this method, I now also use it in Class III and II occlusions, since it allows me to shift the entire arch forwards or backwards as required (Figs. 1 and 2, p. 39). The issue of esthetics...