I have a very basic question regarding over dentures

Patient comes in with 2 implants placed in the mandible. Does not wear a mandibular denture and wants an over denture.

Would you:

  1. Make a regular denture first and then do pick up after processing? Or

  2. Make an impression(border mold and all) with implants as part of the process…if so, would you make an implant level impression or an abutment level impression?

Both options work well. Some doctors like to do chairside pick-up impressions, whereas others will have the lab do it. I personally prefer to have the lab add the housings. It’s just your personal preference. If so, you’d need to order the appropriate overdenture impression copings and do this at the final impression appointment with the custom tray/border molding.

My personal preference is to put the impression copings on the locators and then take a full final impression with border molding and everything.

Then send that to the lab and they can add the analogs and get you a master model from that.

You will then get a wax rim that snaps onto the implants.

I feel like things work smoother this way and the denture material ends up cleaner.