Case 14 – Lower milled bar overdenture

Mr L from Egglescliffe born 1924

Mr L sought an opinion from CDIC regarding his lower overdenture that clipped onto a bar supported by four dental implants. The implants had been placed in London. He complained that the retaining clips were continually breaking and that the denture was not retentive enough. Examination revealed four implants positioned very close to each other carrying a weak bar that the overdenture clipped onto. To sort the problem out meant keeping the four implants and improving the bar attachment. A milled bar, that is a bar that has parallel sides for retention, was constructed and included on the ends of this were two precision attachments that worked very much like press studs.

A metal based denture was made to fit snugly over the milled bar and the precision attachments added. This gave a denture that could hardly move in any direction except upwards and the precision attachments stopped the denture moving in this direction. The patient now has new upper and lower dentures that are very stable and with which he can eat and have total confidence in.

The initial bar attachment was very flimsy	The new substantial milled bar.

The lower metal denture which fitted over and clipped onto the milled bar.	The new upper and lower dentures in place, though it is difficult to tell if these are actually dentures or real teeth.

The cost of Mr L’s treatment if it had been carried out today would be £5,000 (This does not include the placement of any dental implants).