The role of complete denture principles in implant prosthodontics.

During the past 30 years, there has been a growth of implant courses in dental schools at the predoctoral level to meet a burgeoning demand. At the same time, there has been a concomitant reduction in curriculum time devoted to clinical and technical aspects of complete denture construction. There will be a sizable cohort of patients with limited natural dental landmarks seeking implant reconstructions that may be difficult for the general practitioner to restore. This article reviews basic prosthodontic principles and procedures that are important to understand when designing an implant prosthesis.