Management of Mandibular Total and Subtotal Edentures

The stability of full dentures is difficult to establish in the mandible, especially in elderly patients with highly resorbed ridges. As a result, the practitioner is obliged to find ways of optimizing the mandibular full denture. These include:■ Pre-prosthetic surgery, followed by tissue conditioning, enables the osteo-mucosal bearing surfaces to be arranged.■ Piezography and impressions of stabilizing polished surfaces help improve prosthetic stability by exploiting the peripheral musculature.■ Balanced occlusion, conventional or lingualized, guarantees prosthetic stability during function.■ The use of prosthetic adhesive may also be useful.■ Exploiting residual roots, if they are of good value and in strategic positions, enables the creation of a supra-radicular prosthesis with several advantages.■ Implantology, a reliable and recommended alternative, also ensures improved prosthetic balance.All these alternatives, their advantages and limitations, are described in detail in this book.