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Implant Treatment for Fully Edentulous Patients

Oral rehabilitation, using dental implants, in the fully edentulous patient who, for the previous several years has worn a total prosthesis, is a major challenge for the surgeon and the prosthodontist. The use of bone grafts, sinus elevation and transportation of the mentoneano nerve has made many patients reluctant to accept oral treatment due to the high expense involved and the prolonged time of the treatment. The potential disability resulting from the surgery, the possible risks and complications of the grafting procedures and the inability to use the prosthesis for extended periods of time causes many patients to believe that their dream of having a functional, fixed and aesthetic prosthesis is unobtainable. With the advent of the Nobel Guide technology many advantages are evident making oral treatment possible on patients, who before where not immediate candidates for dental implants. This technology allows for virtual surgery on the computer and a detail planning before the procedure is actually done on the real patient. Thanks to the software, the possibility of shortening the surgical time and a more precise procedure is a very attractive value adde benefit for the professional and the patient. Many visible advantages must be considerd when a case is planed: The quickness of the treatment; the low morbidity of the procedures; and, the lower cost involved due to the lack of costly reconstruction steps. The Nobel Guide software is a versatile tool for the treatment of the fully edentulous patient causing less nuisance because of the possibility of doing the surgery with local anesthesia and without flaps.

Case presentation:

A 53 year old patient, fully edentulous, who has worn total prosthesis for more than 25 years. This presents a severe alveolar atrophy which had been previosly denied for treatment with dental implant during several years. The patient is not a candidate to undergo surgery with general anesthesia since she has had cardio respiratory arrest in 2 previous attempts due to a high sensitivity to anesthetic medications.