Dr. Aldo Leopardi spoke recently in Chicago on “Implant Therapy for the Completely Edentulous Patient.”

Dr. Leopardi’s talk focused on implant therapy for edentulous patients. Edentulous means lacking teeth or having no teeth. The practice of treating these patients with dental implant therapy can be difficult. The result for the patient can be life changing.

The talk, which was put on by the First Continuing Education Association, took place at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel and Conference Center, in Downers Grove, IL. This event also featured Steve Down discussing “The Miracle of Wealth.”

Dr. Leopardi believes that in order to properly treat these patients, a good understanding of the fundamentals of implant bio-mechanics must happen. He also believes that prosthetic design and surgical treatment planning is important to ensure the success of the implants.

Dr. Leopardi discussed treatment planning and prosthetic design, stressing broken vs. rigid design concepts and which is better. He also talked about bar over-dentures, a sort of clip-in replacement. Dr. Leopardi also stressed the importance of solitary anchor systems with dentures, focusing on the zest location and ball abutment systems.

Other topics discussed were the fixed restoration of edentulous patients and incorporation of CAD-CAM, or metal and zirconia, in these patients.

Dr. Aldo Leopardi received his undergraduate dental degree in South Australia at the University of Adelaide. He was a private practice dentist for several years before he received his specialist training in combined fixed, removable and implant Prosthodontics, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, he practices prosthodontics at his own practice in Greenwood Village, Colorado near Denver.