Overdentures supported by dental implants or natural teeth offer one of the most successful dental prosthesis solutions on the market. Implant abutment systems ensure the stability of the overdenture, keeping it secure and allowing the patient to eat, talk, and smile with confidence.

This solution serves patients better than most alternatives for a number of reasons: it improves chewing function, offers a more natural appearance, and enhances jaw health and preservation. Moreover, as the denture simply cannot press down hard on gingival tissue, it’s optimized for comfort.

How exactly does it work? An overdenture abutment or implant attachment connects the implant or tooth to the denture. The abutment snaps firmly onto the top of the implant, keeping the prosthesis locked in place. However, these attachments are also easily removable for cleaning and maintenance purposes.

Abutment and attachment systems are a mainstay of overdenture treatment solutions. There are a variety of abutments available, depending upon a patient’s specific restoration needs. That’s why it’s important to do your research and find overdenture abutment offerings that are top of the line—like Stern Snap®.

Why the Stern Snap® Overdenture Abutment?

When shopping for overdenture abutment attachment systems, there’s a few must-have qualities to look for. Above all, you want an attachment system that prioritizes versatility, wearability, reliability, predictability, and affordability. Sterngold’s Stern Snap® delivers on every front, making it the smart choice for dentists, dental labs, and dental patients alike.

Stern Snap® is compatible with all major implant systems—more than 120 in total! It comes in collar heights from 1 mm to 4 mm, similar to (and compatible with) most popular attachment systems. However, Stern Snap® also features a number of enhancements that set it apart from its peers on the market.

What Makes Stern Snap® Shine

There are two styles of Stern Snap® implant overdenture abutments. You can choose between the zero-degree one-piece abutment, which screws directly into the implant, or the angle correction abutment—a two-piece version, comprising an abutment base and screw-in attachment.

Both versions are extremely versatile. You can use them as stand-alone retentive caps, or process them directly into an overdenture for more restorative space. Alternatively, you might even opt for metal housing.

Retentive caps made from polyurethane also improve durability, unlike the competitors’ nylon-based alternatives. This helps make Stern Snap® a long-term wearable option. While reports show that nylon housings fail at around 60,000 cycles, Stern Snap® polyurethane caps hold up successfully for as many as 250,000 cycles—and even at this point, test cases didn’t wear out and could feasibly have carried on much longer.

Stern Snap Overdenture Abutment

Stern Snap® offers multiple strength retentive cap options, in 1-pound (green), 2-pound (yellow), and 3-pound (brown) levels. The lowest, 1-pound level of retention works best for patients with multiple attachments, or those experiencing reduced manual dexterity. Meanwhile, the 2-pound cap functions as a standard weight, and the 3-pound offers the most strength.

A true (combined) angle correction of up to 60°—while maintaining maximum retention—also makes Stern Snap® the preferred choice of many dentists. In contrast, retention often reduces and causes increased wear as angle correction increases with competitor systems.

Finally, the Stern Snap® overdenture abutment system is much more affordable than most others on the market. Made in Massachusetts, its price is approximately a third less than many competitor systems—while still offering an American-made product.

Chairside Pickups Have Never Been Easier

The Stern Snap® overdenture abutment streamlines the chairside pickup process. The procedure is simple and straightforward.

First, choose the correct abutment interface and cuff height for your clinical situation. Affix the snap abutment to the implant with a standard .050 hex driver and torque wrench, tightened to 20 N-cm. Relieve the denture, and prepare the pockets for the caps.

Apply Sterngold EZ PickUp light-cured varnish to the prepared pockets and then cure. Place a block-out spacer over each abutment to ensure that they don’t touch the pickup material.

Place the caps onto the snap abutments and check that the denture fits passively. One effective approach is to make a bite registration before beginning the process with the denture to be retrofitted. You can then use this bite registration for verification at this stage.

Express a small amount of EZ PickUp to the top of each cap and fill each pocket of the overdenture to about two-thirds full. Seat the denture over the caps and assist the patient in positioning the overdenture into the bite registration.

Hold in place by supporting the patient’s chin until the acrylic polymerizes. After the recommended set time, remove, clean up, and seat the final overdenture.

Sterngold: The Smart Choice

Serving dental practitioners since 1897, Sterngold has been a leading manufacturer and distributor in the restorative dental industry for over a decade. With an array of products engineered, manufactured, and quality-assessed in-house stateside, you know you’re always buying quality.

Sterngold’s precision-engineered yet affordable products, plus attentive customer service, empower dental practices and laboratories to offer effective solutions, improve patient satisfaction, and increase business growth. Contact Sterngold today to find out how our restorative dental products and solutions can help your practice achieve its goals.