Principles of Overdenture on One-piece Narrow Dental Implants in Patients with Different Patterns of Mandibular Ridge Resorption

PRINCIPLES OF OVERDENTURE ON ONE-PIECE NARROW DENTAL IMPLANTS IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF MANDIBULAR RIDGE RESORPTION (Abstract). Aim: To highlight the particularities of mandibular overdenture on one-piece narrow dental implants in patients with two frequent and high-difficulty clinical situations, namely flat alveolar ridge (also known as severe ridge resorption, when mainly vertical bone resorption occurs) and narrow alveolar ridge (which in its most severe form has a knife -edge appearance, when mainly horizontal bone resorption occurs). Narrow implant overdenture is a treatment alternative that responds well to the most important reason of patient dissatisfa ction with conventional denture, namely its instability, through a relatively minimally invasive surgical intervention followed by relatively simple prosthetic procedures. To obtain a good outcome, particularization according to patient features, such as the morphology of the alveolar ridge is recommended. Deciding upon implant type, number, site, and attachment system should be made in accordance with such factors as bone offer and morphology of the alveolar ridge, edentulous and prosthetic status in the maxilla, prosthetic space, and the need to improve denture stability and retention.