Total Prosthetics in Function

Introduction. Biologic, physioliogic and mechanical principles need to be considered and carefully coordinated in the establishment of the total denture design and occlusion. The aim of the authors is to share their experience with total denture treatment by patients, edentulous more than 6 years, using the method of intraoral registration of the position of the lower jaw by Gerber and arranging the artificial teeth by Körholz. Material and methods. Fourteen patients, six men and eight women, mean age 61 years, edentulous more than 6 years were treated. After all the requirements of a functional impressions and determining of the vertical jaw relation are kept, the central position of the lower jaw was fixed by intraoral registration by Gerber, using the face bow “Kavo” and transferring plates. The models were mounted into an articulator “Protar” IV and the artificial teeth (Ivoclarortotype) were arranged by the method of Körholz. Results and discussion. The patients were asked about their experience and comfort with the new dentures and subjective tests for estimation of dentures’ stability were applied. The quick and full adaptation to the dentures and the scarce need of corrections allow us to recommend this method of treatment by patients, edentulous from seven years and with advanced atrophy of the jaws. Conclusions: Using the intraoral graphic registration of the central position is a substantial step towards denture accuracy and stability. The arrangement of the teeth by Körholz is a prime factor to this goal. INTRODUCTION. The functional stability of a removable denture depends mainly on its good fitness to the jaw relief and on the correct interrelation between both teeth arches (1, 2, 3). By patients with total dentures more than 5 years the anatomic orientations are lost or changed and the restoration of the normal relation between the jaws and the artificial teeth is quite difficult (4, 6). In1999 Karl Heinz Körholz (5) summarized and described his own understanding and strategy of the basic principles of total dentures’ prosthetic treatment under the title “Totalprothetik in Funktion”. The author presents there the basic steps and analysis of the cast models for the arrangement of the artificial teeth The aim of the authors is to share their experience with total denture treatment by edentulous patients, using the method of intraoral registration of the position of lower jaw by Gerber and arranging the artificial teeth by Körholz. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Fourteen patients, six men and eight women, mean age of 61 years and mean age of edentulousness of 7 years. All patients had old dentures of age 3 to 5 years. After the classical procedures of taking the functional impressions and determination of the vertical jaw relation, the central position of the lower jaw was fixed by intraoral registration by Gerber, using the face bow “KaVo” and transferring plates (Fig. 1). The models were mounted into an articulator “Protar” IV and the artificial teeth (Ivoclarortotype) were arranged by the method of Körholz (Fig. 2). Fig. 1. Intraoral graphic registration by Gerber Fig. 2. Mounting of the models in an articulator with individual parameter “Protar” IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Mounting of the cast models in an articulator, with individual hinge axis allows a construction of the total dentures in the closest functional conditions, optimally ISSN: 1312-773X (Online)