Removable Partial Denture Design Involving Teeth and Implants as an Alternative to Unsuccessful Fixed Implant Therapy: A Case Report

Removable Partial Denture Design Involving Teeth and Implants as an Alternative to Unsuccessful Fixed Implant Therapy: A Case Report
September 2004
Mijiritsky, Eitan DMD*; Karas, Sivan DMDÇƒÜ
Implant Dentistry: Volume 13(3) September 2004 pp 218-222
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
*Senior Staff, Oral Implant Center, The Hebrew University-Hadassa School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel and Private Practice, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
ÇƒÜPrivate Practice, Beer-Sheba, Israel.
Reprint requests and correspondence to: Eitan Mijiritsky, DMD Moshe-Sne Street 22/A, Tel-Aviv, Israel Tel: 00972-3-6449139 Fax: 00972-3-6449137 E-mail: mijiritsky@bezeqint.net
Abstract
Various dental implants have been used, and high success rates have been reported. However, as their uses increase, implant failures have been reported. There are partially edentulous patients with an initial treatment plan of an implant-supported fixed partial denture. At times, one or more strategic implants fail to osseointegrate. In situations where financial, systemic, or local conditions preclude the use of a fixed partial denture, a well constructed removable partial denture can be an excellent treatment alternative. It has been reported that prosthesis support can be improved with the use of osseointegrated dental implants, with improved preservation and maintenance of existing hard and soft tissues around dental implants. This article describes the prosthodontic rehabilitation of a partially edentulous patient by the use of a removable partial denture design involving teeth and implants as an alternative to unsuccessful fixed implant therapy. This treatment option solved a difficult clinical problem derived from the failure of two strategic implants and provided the patient with an esthetic and functional prosthesis.
It has been more than 30 years since osseointegrated implants were first used clinically. During that time, various dental implants have been utilized, and high success rates have been reported. 1-3 However, as their uses have increased, implant failures have been reported. 4-6 For example, there are partially edentulous patients with an initial treatment plan of an implant-supported fixed partial denture (FPD) where one or more strategic implants fail to osseointegrate.
In some of these cases, the patient is not willing to undergo another dental implant procedure and an implant-supported FPD is not a valid treatment option. In situations where financial, systemic, or local conditions preclude the use of a FPD, a well constructed removable partial denture (RPD) can be an excellent treatment alternative. 7,8 It has been reported previously that prosthesis support can be improved with the use of osseointegrated dental implants 9-13, with improved preservation and maintenance of existing hard and soft tissues around dental implants. 14-16
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