The mandibular complete overdenture.

Mandibular complete overdenture treatment has been available for decades, but its use was limited when the treatment relied on retained teeth as overdenture abutments. This treatment, however, is currently experiencing more popularity than ever before. In fact, dentistry may be experiencing a philosophical shift, in which mandibular implant overdenture treatment may become the new standard of care for the treatment of the edentulous mandible. Practitioners are looking for simplified treatments that can provide cost-effective alternatives to more complex implant prosthodontic procedures. Implant overdentures provide a strong return for the investment in treatment time and expense and are a treatment suited to the lower socioeconomic status of many edentulous patients. The clinical outcome of this treatment is significantly better than that achieved with conventional mandibular dentures, especially when patients are experiencing technical problems because of compromised prosthesis retention or stability.