Dental Implant Case Study
Poor condition of existing teeth due to gum disease
Treatment Type: Full mouth reconstruction with implants and over denture with the use of telescopic technique
Five implants in Lower Jaw fitted
Five implants in Lower Jaw fitted
Five implants in Lower Jaw fitted
Background
Mr B suffers from a very heavy bite, which over the years had led to a general poor condition of his teeth, both in his upper jaw and lower jaw. Although several teeth needed to be extracted, Mr B was keen to retain some of his remaining teeth. The strategy adopted was to keep only three teeth in his upper jaw and place a further three locator implants. In his lower jaw six locator implants would also be inserted. The procedure would utilise Telescopic Dentures. Developed back in 1968 by a German professor, this technique offers a really affordable alternative to other implant retained denture systems. For us at the Surbiton Smile Centre ® we were able to have a much faster laboratory turnaround time, which helped Mr B as well.
Treatment Plan
As Mr B had enough teeth remaining in his mouth, our dentist was able to prepare these teeth with a drill so that a ‘crown’ could be fitted over each tooth. This crown is in a shape of a cone with a 5o taper and is not the normal bell-shape of a natural tooth. These inner caps (called primary crowns) were then permanently cemented over the prepared teeth and also onto the abutments of the implants. An outer cap (called a secondary crown) was then placed on top which looks like a natural tooth and combines with the denture.
The outer cap intimately slides over the inner cap, just like the rings of a telescope. When they are pulled apart resistance can be felt. Thus, our constructed telescopic denture is held in place by friction, enabling ease of cleaning and simplicity of denture repair if required. In Mr B’s case there were a sufficient number of outer caps incorporated into the body of the denture, therefore eliminating the need to cover the palate (roof of the mouth).
Outcome
At the Surbiton Smile Centre ®, we place great emphasis on the importance of maintaining excellent oral hygiene. In the case of Mr B, his treatment kept healthy teeth in place, which resulted in a smaller size of denture. However, the longevity of the treatment is reliant on the health of his remaining teeth. Mr B has regular appointments with our hygienist, and he returns to us for six monthly routine check-ups. His confident smile tells us of a job well done.
