[Use of a retainer bar in lower full dentures]

In subtotal mandibular edentations, the roots of remaining anterior teeth might be used to enhance the retention of a full denture in building a contramucosal retention bar. Based on a case-report, the authors present the fabrication in five clinical and laboratory sequences, of a maxillary full denture combined with a lower full denture and a retainer bar joining two cuspids. First sequence: Clinical. It mainly concerns: 1) Preparation and impression of the two cuspids for receiving the two posts on which the retention bar will be fixed. 2) The primary plaster impression of the soft tissues. In the laboratory, the coping are directly cast with gold without a core, topped with resin. The individual mandibular impression tray (IIT) presents two windows opposite the two preparations through which the tops of the two copings are showing. Second sequence: Clinical. If the maxillary impression is a classical one, the mandibular impression is peculiar and original. Overall, this provides a reliable working model on which the dental technician will be able to build, the entire prosthesis, not only the retainer bar but also the full denture. This is done in two stages: 1) Secondary impression of the soft tissues with copings in place. 2) Indexing of the copings to the impression tray with acrylic resin, pressing firmly on the rims of the IIT and simultaneously, on the tops of the copings to take into account the different depression of the tissues. In the laboratory, both impressions are boxed and cast, with in place.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)