Implant Surgery for Fixed Implant-supported Prostheses in the Edentulous Mandible:A Case Report

Abstract

Edentulism following extraction of existing teeth due to dental caries, severe periodontal disease, or surgical damage can be treated with implants using complete dentures, implant-supported overdentures, or fixed implant-supported prostheses. Fixed implant-supported prostheses have higher masticatory eff iciency than removable prostheses and may provide patients with psychological stability. Moreover, when compared with traditional removable complete dentures, fixed implant-supported prostheses have better stability and retention, help improve the mental health of the patients, and provide them with opportunities to respond more actively to the society. In this report, patients preferred fixed implant-supported prostheses, which were advantageous in terms of masticatory efficiency, patient satisfaction, and distribution of stress compared to removable prostheses. Thus, they were considered the first priority. In case 1, a fixed implant-supported prosthesis was fabricated by placing 12 implants in a patient with edentulous mandible who was using a mandibular complete denture, but complained of denture displacement and masticatory dysf unction. In case 2, a fixed implant-supported prosthesis was fabricated by placing eight implants in a patient with an edentulous mandible whose entire mandibular dentition had been extracted due to severe periodontitis. Satisfactory f unctional and esthetic outcomes were achieved with fabrication and placement of fixed implant-supported prostheses in these patients.