International Journal of Oral Health Dentistry 2022;8(4):322–328
Content available at: https://www.ipinnovative.com/open-access-journals
International Journal of Oral Health Dentistry
Journal homepage: www.ijohd.org
Case Series
Prosthodontic way of overcoming the hurdle of flabby tissues: A case series
Himanshu Aeran
1,
*, Varun Kumar
1
, Jyotsna Seth
1
, Goutami Deshpande
1
1
Dept. of Prosthodontics Crown and Bridge, Seema Dental College and Hospital, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
ARTICLE INFO
Article history:
Received 25-10-2022
Accepted 22-11-2022
Available online 19-12-2022
Keywords:
Flabby tissues
Tissues
ABSTRACT
Flabby ridges displaceable tissues are a common finding in long term denture wearers. Careful management
is mandatory, failing which flabby ridges adversely affect the retention, stability and support of complete
dentures. Management of flabby ridges can be driven either surgically or prosthodontically. A list of
techniques has been noted in the literature for prosthetically managing flabby tissues such as Zafarullah
Khan Technique, modified Zafarullah Khan Technique, Shum & Pow Technique, Hobkirk’s Technique,
Palatal splinting using two part tray technique, etc. The decision to consider which material & or technique
is appropriate depends on the particular clinical situation. Moreover, the advent of newer dental materials
has added to this confusion. The proper diagnosis and planning is required for selecting the material and
technique according to the displaceability of the tissues. This article describes a series of clinical scenarios,
incorporating these impression techniques and materials for managing the condition.
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1. Introduction
Mobile or resilient tissues over the underlying supportive
bone appears as “flabby tissues”. Such a situation arises
in long term complete denture wearers where excessive
pressure has been applied on the alveolar bone & is most
commonly seen in maxillary anterior region usually in
correlation with Combination syndrome.
1
Management of flabby ridges can be either-1. Surgical
removal of fibrous tissue before conventional procedures
2. Implant retained Prosthesis (Fixed/ Removable). 3.
Conventional prosthodontics without surgical intervention.
2
Prosthodontic rehabilitation of compromised ridges in
conventional manner stands as an outdated treatment option.
A customised treatment procedure must be considered for
each clinical scenario. Flabby tissues, because of their
resilient nature, get displaced while impression making, thus
displacing the final prosthesis. Hence, the need for recording
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: drhimanu4@gmail.com (H. Aeran).
the tissues in a state of rest is the basis on which these
impression techniques have been developed. Thus, selection
of proper impression technique and material is a crucial
decision while fabricating dentures on such abused tissues.
A list of techniques has been noted in the literature for
prosthetically managing flabby tissues such as conventional
& modified Zafarullah Khan Technique,
3
Shum & Pow
technique,
4
Hobkirk’s technique,
4,5
etc. Selection of
appropriate technique & material depends on the particular
clinical scenario and necessitates a thorough knowledge
about the pros and cons of each technique and material.
Continued advancement of dental materials have added to
this confusion.
This article describes a series of three clinical cases,
which incorporated Zafarullah Khan technique with
combination of tunnel technique, Modified zafarullah Khan
technique and Shum & Pow technique for managing this
condition.
https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijohd.2022.061
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