A comparative study of rehabilitation methods of patients with edentulous arches associated with insufficient bone volume

Abstract

Background: The rehabilitation of patients with insufficient bone support may be difficult because of multiple disturbances from stomatognathic system and the necessity to reestablish the lost bone volume. Material and methods: In this study were included 24 patients who were treated with conventional prosthesis (15 patients) and fixed implanting supported prosthesis (9 patients). Results: Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation with preliminary bone augmentation has esthetic, functional and biomechanical advantages over conventional prosthesis but it is more costly, traumatic and requires a long rehabilitation period with multiple surgical procedures. However, because of their disadvantages and hard conditions these prostheses are not always functional may not fully restore the lost functions of stomatognathic system. The necessity of additional surgical procedures, a higher cost and a longer rehabilitation time limit the applicability of this method. Conclusions: Implant supported prostheses provide a psychological comfort and prevent the progression of bone atrophy. Rehabilitation with conventional prostheses permits to restore the lost soft and hard tissue volume and patients’ integration into the society. Bone grafting allows restoring of lost soft and hard tissue volume which allows inserting of implants of standard size and manufacture of functional and aesthetical restorations. The questionnaire analysis has shown that patients that wore conventional prostheses for many years are usually unsatisfied by their performance and require implant prosthetic rehabilitation with fixed restorations. The last ones are well tolerated by patients and provide a psychological comfort that cannot be achieved with conventional prostheses.