Abstract:

New Paradigms for the Prosthodontic Patient: The Dentulous to Edentulous Experience

For many patients, the loss of all teeth or even a single tooth is a significant and traumatic event.  With the promise of implant supported restorations, patients require treatment with standard prostheses first.  Immediate denture service is a technique that allows for the transition from dentulous to edentulous state relying on the patient's ability to adapt and accept the prosthesis.  Patients who are about to lose their teeth are reluctant and apprehensive.  Provisional dentures provide temporary treatment that allows patients to adapt and accept prosthesis over a period of time.  Interim dentures, transitional dentures, removable partial dentures that grow, duplicate dentures, and treatment dentures are techniques that aid the restorative dentist in providing optimal care for the edentulous patient.  Crown and bridge procedures supported by implants are following in the successful applications of the principles. 

Dr. Yanase will present several case histories of patients over a span of ten to fifteen years to illustrate how failures and complications require constant recall and future treatment, retreatment, and re-retreatment, even re-re-retreatment.

According to new prosthodontic paradigms, all removable prostheses for the totally edentulous patient are now classified as transitional prostheses.  The fixed mandibular prostheses have proven to be effective, efficacious, and successful for all patients.  Osseointegration has been credited with providing success for many patients with risky situations with long term predictability and comfort.