Biomechanical aspects on overdenture treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Implant retained overdentures utilize a wide range of attachments to provide the retentive forces for implant retained overdentures. Such attachments attempt to minimize the functional stresses at the implant-overdenture interfaces.


METHODS
Clinical experiments with strain gauges can monitor the types and magnitudes of deformation that appear in the underlying surfaces. Clinical results have shown that fixed and removable prostheses perform differently in type, magnitude and direction of the applied load from laboratory tests. There is good correlation between short term clinical experiments and long term clinical follow-ups of prosthesis provision. Removable prosthetic superstructures perform at a lower level of overall functional rigidity with increased risk of deformation. Factors that influence the loading patterns and surface straining are the incorporation of an internal metal frame, the rheological properties of the foodstuff, the occlusal position of the teeth and the degree of fit of the prosthetic suprastructure and the implants.


CONCLUSIONS
The prognosis of implant retained overdentures is maximized when the number of fixtures used is high, a rigid bar design is used and functional flexibility is incorporated in the prosthesis design.
Glantz
P O
PO
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Nilner
K
K
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D003781:Denture Retention / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D006801:Humans