Fabrication of complete dentures in three visits using existing prosthesis-a simplified technique for geriatric patients.

Abstract

Complete edentulism often limits patients' ability to masticate and perform other oral functions, resulting in a reduction of oral-health-related quality of life. Although the two-implant mandibular overdenture may be considered as a minimum standard of treatment of complete edentulism, patients often prefer conventional complete dentures due to cost and surgical procedures related to implant supported dentures. Many complete denture patients may have limited access to dental care due to socioeconomic or health issues, hence there is a need in simplification of complete denture fabrication. Researchers have proposed "simplified" techniques to fabricate complete dentures by eliminating two stage impression procedures facebow transfer, and articulator programming, with impressive initial results. However, long-term clinical data of these techniques is unavailable. A novel technique for fabricating simplified complete dentures in three visits, using patient's existing dentures is presented here. Unlike previously described techniques on "simplified" dentures, this technique does not eliminate vital steps such as border-molded impressions, facebow transfer, verification of centric relations during try-in, programming of the articulator, and balancing procedures.