Prosthodontics & Occlusion · patient case question
The patient later receives an implant-retained mandibular overdenture. What is the accepted minimum number of implants, and where are they optimally placed?
Patient case: Removable Partial Denture Design
demo: 64-year-old male
chief: “I want to replace my back teeth on both sides.”
history: Has not attended a dentist in several years. Reports dry mouth.
meds: Amitriptyline, hydrochlorothiazide
findings: Mandibular arch missing #17–19 and #30–32 bilaterally, with all anterior teeth present. Generalized marginal inflammation and heavy calculus. Xerostomia. No frank cavitated lesions found today.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Two implants, positioned in the canine regions
- A. Correct. Two implants in the canine regions is the accepted minimum for a mandibular overdenture — the canine sites offer good bone volume, sit anterior to the mental foramen, and give favorable attachment spacing.
- B. Four implants is the accepted minimum for a maxillary overdenture, where bone quality is poorer.
- C. A single implant is not a recognized standard of care for an overdenture.
- D. Six implants exceeds what is needed for a mandibular overdenture, though it may be used for a fixed prosthesis.
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