A case of occlusal reconstruction for the patient with combination syndrome

Abstract

【Objective】 Patients with edentulous maxillae and mandibular free-end missing often present with symptoms such as bone resorption in the maxillary anterior region, enlarged or/and elongated maxillary tuberosity, papillary hyperplasia in the hard palate mucosa, extrusion of mandibular anterior teeth, and resorption of bone under mandibular denture base—together called “combination syndrome” and are likely to be considered difficult denture cases. This report is to present a successful case of denture treatment for a patient (82 year-old, female) with such combination syndrome. The patient wearing maxillary full denture and mandibular bilateral free-end saddle denture had difficulty with mastication due to the loose dentures, clearly presenting the combination syndrome. Lip support improved by denture repair, restoration of vertical dimension, and singularized mandibular prostheses led to stability of both upper and lower dentures and improvement of chief complaints. Occlusal reconstruction was ministered in order to further mechanically stabilize the maxillary denture. 【Discussion】Masticatory dysfunction was successfully improved owing to the use of the mandibular denture fabricated on the basis of rigid support for the bilateral free-end saddle denture, re-establishment of occlusal plane curtailing sliding phenomenon of the maxillary denture, provision of bilateral occlusion to prevent denture overturn.