Abstract:
Fixed Implant
Restoration of the Fully Edentulous Maxilla
There is a large patient population that would like to replace their upper denture with a fixed implant bridge as an elective procedure. These patients have perfectly functional and esthetic upper dentures; however, it is still a denture. These patients desire treatment not for functional reasons as does the patient with a lower denture, but rather for personal psychological and self-image reasons.
There is also a segment of the population that is still destined to lose their upper teeth. Having had the ‘dental book’ provided for them, the best of periodontal, endodontic, and restorative dental care is not able to prevent the eventual tooth loss of these conscientious dental patients. They dread the thought of an upper denture and the aging implications that awaits them.
Many practitioners that routinely provide implant treatment for the lower jaw have shied away from similar treatment to the upper jaw. The maxilla is considered to be more challenging surgically and restoratively. Phonetic complications have been a serious issue in the past. Likewise, the function of an upper denture, from a dentist’s perspective, is acceptable compared to its full lower counterpart.
The objective of this program is provide information that will allow the dental practitioner to discuss this treatment possibility with their patient with confidence. Streamlined approaches for accomplishing successful esthetic, phonetic and hygienic maxillary implant reconstructions based on a research foundation will be demonstrated.