Tooth-implant connection in removable denture

Abstract

When the patient cannot be rehabilitated with a fixed denture, or when he does not succeed in adapting to a traditional removable denture, a possible alternative solution consists in the use of a limited number of implants, placed in strategic positions in the arches of the patient, and subsequently connected to their residual teeth. The aim of this review is to evaluate the progress made on connections between teeth and implants in removable denture, to analyze their advantages and disadvantages and to compare the survival rate, both of the teeth and of the implants used as abutments, present in the various studies taken into examination, with the aim of being able to evaluate the effectiveness of this rehabilitative option. The concept of preserving residual teeth, even if these are unfavorably distributed, and inserting a minimum number of implants in strategic positions, thanks to which an area of favorable support for the denture can be created, seems reasonable; this will guarantee a better adaptation of the patient to the denture, as well as an improvement in the quality of life. The study of articles present in literature suggests that the survival rate of the implants in removable dentures, supported by teeth and implants through traditional systems of anchorage, appears to be quite high. However, further studies with a higher level of evidence, more representative test subjects and a longer follow-up period are necessary, in order to confirm the validity of this rehabilitative solution.