Total removal of the buccal flange in maxillary prosthetic preparation: a necessity?: case report

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fixed implant-supported complete maxillary dentures aim to rehabilitate aesthetic, phonetic, and functional aspects of edentulous arches. A previous prosthetic preparation without a flange in the anterior sector makes it possible to evaluate the labial support and the existing space for the future prosthesis. Thus, it allows the most appropriate choice of the type of rehabilitation and surgical technique. However, follow-up studies have shown that when proceeding this way, problems in the posterior sector are still occurring, such as the lack of vertical space for an adequate bar design and concave internal designs, which make access to hygiene difficult. Faced with the problem, the aim of this study is to report a clinical case in which the previous prosthetic preparation included the removal of the flange also from the posterior sector during the teeth try-in and the duplication of this assembly in a transparent multifunctional guide that allowed the visualization of the amount of bone removal needed. The osteotomy, performed before the installation of the implants, provided enough space for the bar, acrylic, and prefabricated denture teeth in the prosthesis that was installed, an important fact considering that this is an area with greater chewing efforts. It also allowed for correct internal design in the prosthesis, which will ensure access to correct hygiene. Based on the analysis of the rehabilitated case, it seems fair to conclude that the total removal of the buccal flange at the time of testing the wax try-in of the teeth and its duplication is a differential in the approach of cases and should always be adopted to ensure a lower margin of error and greater longevity in the proposed rehabilitative treatment.

Keywords

• Dental Implants
• Dental prosthesis design
• Dental prosthesis, implant-supported