The milled implant bar: an alternative to spark erosion

Patients who cannot tolerate total coverage of the hard palate or whose maxillary arches are poorly formed, because of congenital, developmental or surgical defects, may be unable to wear a conventional complete denture. These patients can be successfully treated with implant-supported prostheses that cover only a minimal amount of palatal tissue. With spark-eroded castings, very precise restorations can be constructed to fit such implant supports. However, these castings are so expensive that cost precludes their use for many patients. This article presents an alternative approach, developed with the refined techniques used for removable partial dentures, which can yield results similar to those for spark-eroded castings at a fraction of the cost. The clinical and laboratory procedures involved in this technique are described.