Therapeutical attitudes in tooth supported overdentures with ball attachements. Case report

Tooth supported overdenture with ball attachments has a number of advantages in prosthetics, but presents some difficulties as well, which sometimes make impossible the use of these anchoring systems; these difficulties should be well known. In this regard we present a suggestive case. It is the case of a patient, aged 57, who came for treatment, suffering from subtotal maxillary and mandibular edentulism (present 11 and 21, respectively 33 and 43), previously having an overdenture prosthesis on natural teeth, with special systems – ball attachment type, dissatisfied with the treatment (due to repeated fractures and functional intolerance to dentures). Clinical examination revealed an increase of the vertical dimension of occlusion and reduced prosthetic space at a correct, functional DVO value, aspects that were explaining the patient’s reported complaints. As a therapeutic approach, having into consideration the balance conditions that were favorable for complete dentures and the large ball attachments volume, which did not allow keeping them at a functional DVO at any of the jaws, and the relatively young age of the patient, it was decided to remove the ball attachments and to keep the teeth for a simple overdenture, both to the maxillar and the mandible, over coronary reduced teeth, enough to allow the denture thickness at a functional DVO. Good end result of prosthetics, with stable, functional dentures, which were well tolerated and offered satisfaction to the patient, have led to an increased quality of life.