| dc.description.abstract |
Background: Overdentures generally
provide superior treatment outcomes
compared to conventional dentures.
However, the satisfactory outcomes are
associated with various challenges
encountered by both the clinician during
treatment as well as the patient during the use
of the prosthesis.
Objective: This paper discusses the
challenges encountered by dental
practitioners in a developing country –
Kenya, while managing eleven different
patients and how these challenges were
successfully mitigated.
Materials and Methods: Eleven patients
had treatment done to restore function and
aesthetics, utilizing acrylic and cast-metal
overdenture prostheses, as was deemed
appropriate, to mitigate various challenges.
Design: This is a case series. Herein, the
clinical management of eleven edentulous
cases, utilizing overdentures is illustrated.
Results: Limited vertical dimension of
occlusion encountered in two patients with
Amelogenesis Imperfecta, was mitigated by
performing mock jaw registrations before the
definitive prosthetic work. Limited maxillary
ridge resorption encountered in three patients
was mitigated by having the maxillary labial
flanges in their narrowest dimensions, or
placing the periphery of the denture below
the height of contour. Denture bases were
strengthened in four patients’ prostheses by
utilizing cobalt chromium frameworks on the
mandibular overdentures. Telescopic crowns
on overdenture prostheses fabricated over
vital abutment teeth were utilized in three
cases. Despite the prohibitive cost of
treatment in developing countries, one
patient had an implant-retained mandibular
overdenture fabricated.
Conclusion: When a clinician is well-versed
with the challenges to anticipate and how to
overcome them, the use of overdentures
yields satisfactory results for the patients |
en_US |