A screen shot of the panoramic view from a CT scan. The patient has almost no bone in the upper jaw. In order to have upper implants, he will need sinus and onlay bone grafting to increase bone height and width (total bone volume).

Upper jaw viewed from below. The patient lost his teeth some years early. He has been without teeth for several years. Bone volume is poor.

Lower jaw viewed from front. The patient lost his teeth some years early. He has been without teeth for several years. Bone volume is moderate to good.

Pre-treatment, portrait picture without animation.

Pre-treatment, portrait picture with reluctant smile. Note the reduced height of the lower 1/3rd of his face. Without teeth the jaw over-closes. In dentistry, we refer to this as a loss of Vertical Dimension of Occlusion (VDO).

Closeup of smile without teeth. Again, note the loss of height due to loss of teeth and bone.

Panoramic x-ray after sinus and onlay bone grafting. Thought subtle, you can see the ping-pong ball size sphere of new bone in the sinuses.

After six months of bone healing, 9 dental implants are places (5 upper and 4 lower).

Upper jaw with healing caps over implants. Two months after implants are placed, the process of fabricating the overdentures begin. This process is nearly identical to making complete dentures (without implants). When I lecture, I tell the audience of dentists that, “implants only partially rescue poorly made dentures”! Meaning, for an optimum outcome, it requires great dentures connected to well placed implants.

Lower jaw with healing caps over implants.

Upper jaw with Locator abutments.

Lower jaw with Locator implants.

Actual implant overdentures, frontal view of both. These are “digitally” fabricated through scanning a mock denture and milling these dentures out of a puck or PMMA - (Polymethylmethacrylate). This technology gives much better strength. Another great bonus is that it is very simple to make the patient a second set or replace broken dentures quickly.

Upper overdenture.

Lower overdenture.

Occlusal view of upper overdenture. Note, no palate. Patients rave about the return of taste and eating enjoyment.

Occlusal view of lower overdenture.

Tissue view (intaglio) of upper overdenture.

Tissue view (intaglio) of lower overdenture.

Upper overdenture with attachments in place. (Different patient0. The color of the attachment signifies the amount of retention. There are numerous colors and numerous amounts of retention available. We spend significant time trying to find that amount (titration) that is ideal for each patient.

Smile closeup.

Full face, full smile. WOW!

Fully animated smile, closeup.

Full animated, full face.

Panoramic image after completion.

Full face smiling comparison. His youthful appearance has been restored. Note the elongation of his face from the restoration of the vertical dimension of occlusion. My guess would be a 10 year reduction in perceived age.