Dentaltown August 2013 - (Page 72)

implants feature by Paresh B Patel DDS W e all know that one of the largest segments of the U.S. population is over 65. We all know that this section of the population has a great deal of economic buying power. But as dentists very few of us cater to this population by offering cost-effective solutions to help them live the rest of their lives enjoying one of the things we all like to do – eat. As the average life span increases and the number of totally edentulous arches increases, these patients will suffer from poor nutrition. This can be greatly improved with the use of implants that are adequately sized to fit in the residual ridges. With the average person over 75 being on more than 11 drugs, additional preprosthetic surgery might not be necessary, case acceptance can rise, potential surgical complications can be avoided and a minimally invasive procedure can be completed with a high success rate. Most of the small-diameter (mini) implants on the market today use the O-ring attachment as their retentive element. While this has 72 AUGUST 2013 » dentaltown.com worked well over the past decade, the height needed can create restorative issues, such as bulky acrylic areas or over-contoured areas in the palate. With the recent creation of the LODI (Locator Overdenture Implant), a low-profile attachment solution now exists. In addition to the lower height, the ability to change the amount of retention is also an option. Retention up to 5 lbs. is possible. Case Report A 56-year-old woman presented with a fully edentulous upper and lower arch. She reported that the teeth have been missing for more than 25 years and that she has been wearing full dentures for that entire time and is now on her fourth set. The upper denture has been well-fitting and does not require any adhesive products at this time. Her chief complaint was her ill-fitting lower denture. As an anecdotal comment, I have rarely met patients who liked their lower full dentures. With so many http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown August 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: Dentists Are Still Doing Way Too Many Three-Unit Bridges
Professional Courtesy: Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Continuing Education Update
Second Opinion: Finally, One Adhesive that Can Do It All
All-on-4?
Intracornal Bleaching of Endodontically Treated Teeth
Product Profile: CAESY
Product Profile: ClearCorrect
Product Profile: DENTIS USA
Product Profile: Imaging Sciences
Corporate Profile: 123 Postcards
New Products
The Silent Killer of Dentistry
Industry News
Smile Design
Endo Versus Implants: Does Your Treatment Plan Pass the “Mama Test”?
Improving the Future of Overdentures with Small Diameter Implants and Locator Attachments
The Democratization of Dental Implants for General Dentistry
Single Tooth Implant Case
Continuing Education: The Dental CAD/CAM Evolution of 2013
Beatlemania Has Deep Roots
In This Issue: The Value of Saliva Testing
Perio Reports
Ad Index
Profile in Oral Health: Salivary Testing in the Office
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown August 2013