Maxillary removable partial denture combined with O’ring attachment implant: a case report

Oral rehabilitation with free-end removable partial denture (RPD) is one of the major challenges in prosthodontic dentistry. The absence of a distal abutment produces undesirable RPD movement during masticatory function due to the high resilience of the residual ridge, which limits the denture efficiency and may damage the abutment teeth and bone over time. The advent of dental implants made possible to substitute the missing teeth with fixed implant-supported dentures as the first choice treatment to overcome such inconveniences. However, this indication may not be suitable for all patients due to financial, anatomical or systemic health conditions. Nevertheless it is possible to improve free extension RPD by using implants in the posterior edentulous ridge to achieve biological, biomechanical, physiological and social benefits. This article aims to present a case report on oral rehabilitation in which a RPD was made combined with an implant for posterior support in a sizeable edentulous ridge. The patient appreciated the retention improvement and the aesthetic result. The combination of a RPD with a posterior implant is an alternative treatment for cases in which implant-supported fixed prosthesis is not indicated, reducing the displacement and minimizing the limitations of the free-end devices.