Tissue-integrated prostheses for edentulous patients with normal and abnormal jaw relationships

Diagnosis and treatment planning are keys to successful prosthodontic rehabilitation. The increasing interest in the use of the tissue-integrated prosthesis to resolve the problems of edentulous patients indicates caution in the selection of patients for this procedure. Even if patients are identified who could potentially benefit, application of the concept must meet the needs of the patient. The treatment planning phase must include all professionals participating in patient management and must consider the best placement of fixtures to improve patient findings to an optimal degree. Although many patient factors must be considered in treatment planning, this article discussed application of the tissue-integrated prosthesis concept as it relates to jaw relationship. The tissue-integrated prosthesis must not compound or create retention and stability problems found with complete dentures. This article suggests treatment considerations in planning the tissue-integrated prosthesis for normal and abnormal jaw relationships.