Tooth-Supported Overdenture: Rediscovering What We Thought We Outgrew

TL;DR

This paper presents a case where a tooth-supported overdenture helped preserve a patient's teeth and improve function, avoiding full tooth loss.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates a practical and cost-effective use of tooth-supported overdentures in a routine clinical setup.

Findings

A tooth-supported overdenture preserved remaining teeth and improved chewing efficiency.

The use of short metal copings provided satisfactory retention and stability.

The treatment prevented complete tooth loss and enhanced patient satisfaction.

Abstract

Edentulism results in impairment, functional limitations, and ultimately psychological and social disabilities. It is a significant factor in residual ridge resorption, leading to a decreased alveolar bone height and a reduced denture-bearing area. A tooth-supported overdenture (TSOD) represents one cost-effective treatment modality for patients requiring removable dentures and helps preserve tooth structure and proprioception, maintain alveolar bone to delay complete tooth loss, provide extra support and stability, and improve chewing efficiency. This case report describes the successful use of a natural TSOD with short metal copings, utilizing the remaining upper root canal-treated teeth as abutments. The lower arch featured a fixed dental prosthesis. Following coping cementation, the overdenture was fabricated using conventional methods, resulting in satisfactory retention, stability, and support. The case is an addendum to the existing literature and demonstrates that it can be performed in a routine setup with minimal additional armamentarium. This also provided the patient with great satisfaction by preventing the loss of all her teeth.

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