[Single mandibular complete dentures]

Single mandibular complete dentures suffer greater pressures as the basal seat area available is limited and the opposing arch consists more or less of natural teeth. The practical approach of such a case is described. Study casts mounted on a Hanau-H or Dentatus articulator help the dentist form a clear picture of the existing relationships and avoid underestimation of problems and preposterous restorative procedures. Reducing and reshaping upper natural teeth by grinding in order to equilibrate the occlusal scheme becomes unavoidable in such cases. So, the patient should be informed about it from the very beginning. Jaw relation records should be verified and be absolutely correct before setting the lower posterior teeth and performing any major reshaping of the remaining upper teeth. The existence of natural teeth does not usually permit succeeding a bilaterally equilibrated occlusion. So, the posterior teeth are usually set into a cusp-to-cusp relationship and a balancing ramp is properly formed behind the last molars bilaterally, so that a three-point contact is provided in all eccentric movements, if possible. The need of remounting the casts through new interocclusal records and before delivering the denture to the patients is explained in detail. As the acrylic base exhibits dimensional changes long after the insertion of the denture, this occlusal adjustment has to be repeated more than once frequently. If, in spite of these adjustments, the lower denture continues to give symptoms, then the use of some kind of resilient liner is recommended.