Patient with Severe Peri-Implantitis:
A Comprehensive Dental Restoration

The Dental Problem

Dental implants have a success rate exceeding 95%. When the procedure is performed by a skilled professional, and the patient follows post-treatment instructions, complications are exceptionally rare. However, exceptions do occur.

Our 66-year-old patient came to us with chronic inflammation around the implants in her upper jaw, placed years ago by another clinic. This condition, called peri-implantitis, caused severe damage to her gums and jawbone, making the implants unsalvageable.
As for the lower jaw, she had been wearing a removable prosthesis there for quite some time, which had become outdated: it no longer fit well or looked good; so we had work to do there as well.

Solution

After removing the failing upper implants, the patient needed six months to heal. When she returned to our clinic, the X-ray revealed there wasn’t enough bone for new implants. Due to financial and personal reasons, the patient chose not to undergo a bone graft procedure or the bone grafting-free advanced All-on-4® implant treatment. Instead, we provided her with a traditional removable upper denture.
For her lower jaw, which was suitable for implants, we recommended a locator-retained overdenture. This type attaches to implants for better stability but can be removed for daily cleaning.
We chose this “hybrid” solution based on professional considerations: when one arch requires a removable restoration, it’s best to choose a removable solution for the other arch as well in a dual-arch restoration process.

Result

The implant-supported lower denture gave the patient a more stable fit, improved chewing, and greater comfort than a traditional denture, all while being affordable. She was also pleased with the look and feel of her new removable upper denture.