Dr. Chickey asks us:
Does anyone have any experience with Scleroderma patients and dental implant placement? Specifically can "mini or single component" dental implants be placed in order to stabilize a complete lower denture? What other surgical or prosthetic measures should be taken or avoided with Scleroderma patients during dental implant placement?
Note: Scleroderma (sclaire-row-DER-ma) is a disease that can cause thickening, hardening, or tightening of the skin, blood vessels and internal organs. Scleroderma is chronic, which means it can last a long time.
I have treated a scleroderma patient with implants, and one with conventional dentistry, and everything went fine. The only problem is that they can’t open wide, which will worsen over time. 2 implants in the anterior mandible is just fine.
Good luck!
About 14 years ago we placed 4IMZ fixtures and a traditional bar and clip,(gold – Stern) overdenture that is totally supported by the frame. This may have violated the thought that the mandible flexes and don’t extend posteriorly; however this women who has had some deteriorating health issues secondary to her Scleroderma has done real well, with no signs of any problem with her implants and her prosthesis.
My feeling is that the key is a perfect passive fitting bar.
I recently placed two upper implants on a long time patient in the right maxilla as she is losing teeth to scleroderma as the pdl’s seem to disintegrate. The implants have integrated well and we plan to just do implants as she loses more teeth.
fmn
Hello:
I have a loved one with Scleroderma. She has lost all her teeth all but one, she needs to have new dentures, if she has to have the last tooth pulled how will a dentist do the dentures?