Providing an interim complete denture for an implant-supported fixed prosthesis: A dental technique

A fixed complete denture supported by 4 implants has been a popular treatment for completely edentulous patients. The acrylic resin that is the esthetic constituent of this type of prosthesis may undergo material degradation and structural wear over extended clinical service, potentially requiring replacement. In contrast, the metal framework remains structurally intact and unaffected by such changes. A technique for fabricating an interim prosthesis is described that consists of duplicating the implant-supported prosthesis and adding peripheral flanges to transform this duplicate into a removable complete denture that will be relined later to serve as an interim replacement while the definitive prosthesis is refurbished by the dental laboratory technician.