500 Theories and techniques of oral implantology

B

D

F

A

C

E

Fig. 11-125. A to C, A double-posted implant, bent to conform to the groove of the ridge, was inserted on each side. This is the left implant. D to F, The right implant, grooved accordingly, was inserted. Because of its unique design, a single blade may be used in the area rather than several post type implants.

to expose enough of the bone to determine the mode of approach (Fig. 11-121) .

The alveolar bone had resorbed to a tremendously sharp knife-edge ridge around the entire arch (Fig. 11-122). In its current state, it was impossible to place any type of implant in such a ridge. However, a re-evaluation of the intraoral and extraoral radiographs indicated that there would still be enough alveolar bone height from the floor of the antrum to the knife-edge ridge if the table were flattened by removing 2 or 3 mm. of the sharp edge of the ridge. Therefore the ridge was filed shorter and rounded, automatically making the crest thicker buccopalatally (Fig. 11-123).

A narrow groove was made with extreme care

on each side of the arch with a No. 700L fissure bur to bisect the buccopalatal width of the alveolar crest. The two grooves were also curved to follow the arch (Fig. 11-124). Two long, double-posted blade implants were bent to conform to the curved grooves, inserted, and tapped into the bone (Fig. 11-125). The incised tissues were sutured closed (Fig. 11-126).

A temporary acrylic splint fabricated from an alginate impression taken of the patient's old denture was cold-cured in the mouth, trimmed, and cemented into place with one of the soft tone conditioners (Fig. 11-127).

Six days later the sutures were removed (Fig. 11-128). Two gold copings were placed over the molar crown preparations, and acrylic copings were