Saving an already functioning prosthesis where some of the abutment teeth had to be extracted is often possible by preparing the remaining cantilevered pontic for a telescopic coping, inserting the implants, figs. 24, 25, and completing the bridge, figs. 26, 27, 28. In grooving a ridge that is shallow and knife edged, great care must be taken not to fracture or perforate the bone nor to penetrate the canal, fig. 29. A very shallow blade that has a long mesio-distal length is used, fig. 30, to give adequate support against lateral thrusts of the tongue. After healing, fig. 31, the final prosthesis is cemented, fig. 32, and a final periapical x-ray is taken, fig. 33.

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