Patients that are edentulous (without teeth) after many years of wearing dentures have struggled to keep their prosthetic in place due to bone resorption.

Patients’ main complaints are:

• Retention
• Stability
• Function
• Mastication (chewing)
• Speaking problems

These complaints can be overcome by having dental implants placed in either the upper (maxilla) or lower (mandible) jaw.

Implant supported overdentures benefits:

• Eliminates loose dentures that can cause embarrassment.
• Messy denture creams and adhesives
  are no longer necessary.
• Allows the patient to chew their food better
  and speak more clearly.

The number of dental implants needed is driven by the type of prosthetic desired. Two implants can be placed for retentive purposes if the overdenture is to be tissue supported. Using four to six implants the prosthetic can become a fixed (screw-retained) hybrid or a bar overdenture. Both of these prosthetics are implant supported. With six or more implants being placed, custom and or stock abutments are now an option for fixed crown and bridge work.

Today most bars are fabricated using CAD/CAM technology to design and mill them out of titanium. A variety of attachments can be used to retain the denture to the bar. Mabel Dental Lab uses Locators and ERA attachments to name a few.