title: Overdentures and the periodontium.
abstract: Many reasons have been clarified for the retention of teeth in the oral cavity for use  as overdenture abutments. The benefits afforded the patient by the preservation of the periodontium have been explained, and methods have been discussed to evaluate the zone of attached gingiva around overdenture abutments. Finally, some research has been discussed to compare some representative overdenture attachments and provide some guidelines for their use in order to more carefully preserve the periodontium.
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000517:prevention & control; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D003779:Denture Design; D003834:Denture Precision Attachment; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000502:physiology; D010519:Periodontium / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011434:Proprioception