Access-post: An Answer to Compromised Retention in Fenestrated Denture around Single Standing Molar

Abstract

Edentulism is a combination of physiological and pathological process and complete loss of teeth at any age may cause imbalance in stomatognathic system leading to impaired function and esthetic disfigurement. Therefore, modern dentistry is mainly focused on preventive prosthodontics which is an alternative philosophy to the conventional removable dentures and is based on preservation of what is remaining in healthy state. Overdentures and fenestrated dentures are two best examples based on this principle. Fenestrated dentures are most of the times fabricated on the request of the patient because keeping a single or few natural teeth will cause compromised retention and difficulty in setting occlusion, so never a suggestion from the clinician. What if retention factor can be eliminated? This article is presenting a case series of prosthetic rehabilitation of few remaining teeth where periodontally compromised teeth were used for retention by aiding them with access-post and sound molars were retained with fenestration in denture.