Bars and channel-shoulder attachments belong to the classical attachments group when associated with milling techniques. Historically, these types of techniques went out of fashion temporarily due to the adaption of the telescopic or conical attachment technique as these secondary blocked prostheses were easier to clean for the patients. But as of late, bars have had a huge renaissance in the age of implantology. In the prosthesis, the remaining support teeth of the prosthesis are primarily blocked by means of bars. In the posterior area the teeth are aligned in the middle of the alveolar ridge.
In the area of the anterior teeth the bar can be positioned slightly anterior to the alveolar ridge, especially in the case of an increasing atrophy for a better static condition of the denture. We differentiate between bar joints – also called bar according to Professor Dolder – and parallel bar attachments. Customized bars can be used for implant-retained dentures in the case of edentulous jaws. A prerequisite depending on bone quality and other factors are the insertion of 4 – 6 implants in the maxilla and/or the mandible. The advantage of these bars is the easy cleaning of the denture by the patient and the illusion of having fixed teeth. The disadvantage could be the effect of “unmasking” when the prosthesis is removed. Patients who already live with full dentures usually adapt quickly and won’t experience hypersensitivity.