Changing Locator Attachments (Locator Males) on an Implant-retained Overdenture

This patient presented with a chief complaint of a very loose overdenture that would fall even during regular conversations.  So, it was a good educational opportunity for me.  Here is a little background on implant-supported overdentures. 

• Locator attachments, such as those marketed by Zestanchors,  allow us to provide retention to overdentures by using them as attachments with single implants, implant supported bars, or even with roots of natural teeth.
• One advantage that they offer is their design, which allows them to compensate for paths of insertions of up to 40 degrees divergence.
• In any case, the Locator Males, pictured below, need to be changed periodically because they wear out over time or if the patient is not happy with the level of retention.
• There are different color-coded Locator Males with different retention capability that can be used to accommodate the needs of patients.  One of the companies that offers them is Zestanchors.
•  The following are some of the more common Locator Males with their specified retention forces.

 

 

•  To change the above Locator males, you need the 3-in-1 Locator Core tool, which can be used to replace Locator Males from the Locator Denture Cap.

 

• To use the Core Tool, unscrew the top of it by twisting it to the left.  Push it onto the old Locator Male, and twist the top back to the right to core out the old Locator Male.  Keep screwing it to the right until the Locator Male pops off from the Denture Cap as shown below.

• So, this patient had a 4 implant supported overdenture.

• As you can see, I removed only one of the Locator Males in the picture below.  I believe the locator Males were green, which corresponds to 4 lbs, but they were worn away.

• To put in the new Locator Males in the Denture Cap, unscrew the tip of the Core tool and place your new Male on it.  Then simply push it onto the Denture Cap until it snaps in.

Here we replaced a green Male with a Pink Male, which is by the way lower in retention force.  Here we determined that the patient's C.C originated from the worn out Locator Males.