Zest Anchors, Inc. is a global leader in the manufacturing of dental attachments. Their new Locator Overdenture Abutment is on the cutting edge of dental attachment technology

The Locator is designed with ease of use and incredible durability for your patient. It is manufactured with various thread configurations to fit all major brands of implants.

alignment of the attachment components. The Locator Implant Attachment is a supra-gingival attachment connection for endosseous implants that allows a patient to easily seat their overdenture without the need for accurate alignment of the attachment components.

The Locator attachment features a denture component with a skirt that easily locates the mating implant abutment. This self-aligning feature of the attachment aids the patient in seating their prosthesis in a similar manner as a guide plane created by a milled bar.

The Locator’s self-aligning feature has the following advantages: a) Makes it easy for patients to position and correctly seat their overdenture into place. b) Overcomes patient problems with inserting and removing their overdentures in as little as one office visit. c) Eliminates additional wear and the destruction of attachment components from improper seating

The Locator has the lowest vertical height of just 3.17mm total attachment height on an externally hexed implant.

This very low profile is a critical advantage where interocclusal space is limited. The Locator Implant Attachment is a full 1.68mm lower than the next lowest competitive abutment.

When comparing the height of the Locator Attachment on the left with other commonly used implant attachments on the market, the Locator saves from 1.7mm to 3mm of interocclusal space required.

angles up to 40 degrees between two divergent implants. Another advantage of the Locator Implant Attachment is its ability to accommodate angles up to 40 degrees between two divergent implants.

By placing a special green nylon Extended Range Male insert into the Locator metal denture cap, the divergent angle of the implant is easily accommodated using the same Locator Abutment that is normally placed.

The Locator’s simple technique for handling angulated implants has the following advantages: a) Allows correction of angles up to 40 degrees between implants without the need to purchase additional angle correction abutments. b) Eliminates the difficult procedure of correctly positioning angled abutments. c) The green Extended Range Male demonstrates the same long-lasting retention. d) Maintains the lowest vertical height of 3.17mm on external-hex implants.

The Locator’s ability to correct angles up to 40 degrees between two divergent implants surpasses the maximum of 30 degree correction by all O-Ring and Ball and Socket types of attachments.

Attachment durability of a very high level is demonstrated by the Locator Implant Attachment for the following reasons: a) The patented “dual-retention” design provides approximately twice the amount of retention surface area than only internal retention attachments. b) This combination of inside and outside retention ensures long-lasting retention life for the Locator Attachment. c) Independent laboratory testing demonstrated 56,000 cycles of function with excellent retention for the Locator. This is 28 times longer lasting when compared to ERA Implant Attachment also tested.

Test of Retention Loss performed by the independent testing lab. This chart illustrates the reported results of the Insertion And Extraction Test of Retention Loss performed by the independent testing lab.

The benefit of easy maintenance when using the Locator system is a result of the following: a) Attachment durability means fewer maintenance office visits. b) A special 3-in-1 Locator instrument accomplishes all aspects of attachment replacement. c) The Locator Abutment Driver is compatible with various torque instruments by using a common .050 inch (1.25mm) hex driver tip. d) Locator Abutments torqued to 20 Newton centimeters means reduced loosening complications.

when using the Locator Implant Attachment system With the combination of all these benefits, you just can’t help smiling when using the Locator Implant Attachment system

The triangular shaped internal drive design in the Locator Abutment is a very low profile and has minimal effect on wear of the nylon male.

As with all PerioSeal abutments there is no need to torque them. The matching Locator Abutment Driver is used to place the Locator Abutment. As with all PerioSeal abutments there is no need to torque them. HAND TIGHTEN THEM ONLY

the working 1.5mm of the Locator Abutment above the gingival level. Locator abutments are available in tissue cuff heights ranging from 1mm to 6mm. Order the same height abutment as the tissue cuff measurement taken, which will place the working 1.5mm of the Locator Abutment above the gingival level.

The Locator Male Processing Package consists of a black Processing Cap Male, white full retention nylon Final Male, a pink light retention Male, and a white Block-Out Spacer Ring. This package is used for a direct chairside pick-up of the Locator Male.

Two additional Locator transfer components are needed for processing of the Locator Male by the dental laboratory. This is the new lower profile design for the Locator Impression Coping.

The Locator Lab Analog is available in both a 4mm diameter (8530) and a 5mm diameter (8516) for 1 stage and wider diameter implants as shown.

new male insertion into the metal denture cap, and abutment placement. The Locator Core Tool performs the three different operations of nylon male removal, new male insertion into the metal denture cap, and abutment placement.

The following step by step procedures and clinical case were photographed and provided courtesy of Dr. Allen Schneider, from his private practice in Springfield, Virginia.

This acrylic mandibular model is used to demonstrate the restoration of two externally hexed implants that have been placed in an elevated location at the same level as the surrounding gingival.

which also contains a Male Removal Tool, and a Male Seating Tool. The Locator Abutment Driver is the gold colored portion of the Locator Core Tool, which also contains a Male Removal Tool, and a Male Seating Tool.

The abutment driver is used by hand to insert the abutment into the implant and tighten it firmly.

The backside of the Locator Abutment Driver has an internal hex that is designed for the tightening the abutment.

Hand tightening will prevent the abutments from loosening.

The Locator Abutments maintain a very low profile, even on implants placed as shallow as those used in this demonstration model.

Snap a Locator Parallel Post onto each abutment to check that the implants are parallel.

If the implants are not parallel, Zest Anchors provides an Alignment Pin and Angle Measurement Guide that can be used to easily determine the degree of divergence of an implant fixture.

The Alignment Pin has four different thread patterns that will match most types of implants on the market. Insert an Alignment Pin into each divergent implant.

the use of a Locator white or green Replacement Male. The Angle Measurement Guide is held level with the path of prosthesis insertion to determine whether the degree of divergence for each implant will require the use of a Locator white or green Replacement Male.

processing of the Denture Cap Male by the dental laboratory. A Locator Impression Coping and Abutment Analog are used for the indirect processing of the Denture Cap Male by the dental laboratory.

processing of the Denture Cap Male by the dental laboratory. A Locator Impression Coping and Abutment Analog are used for the indirect processing of the Denture Cap Male by the dental laboratory.

Place a Locator Impression Coping (8505) onto each Locator Implant Abutment.

Inject a light body, vinyl impression material around each Impression Coping.

Take a complete impression using a firm body impression material.

The Locator Impression Coping is designed with minimum retention to be picked up with the completed impression.

allowing for an accurate transfer to the working model. The Locator Abutment Analog is designed with a precise fit into the Locator Impression Coping, allowing for an accurate transfer to the working model.

Snap a Locator Abutment Analog into each Impression Coping making sure they are fully seated.

The master cast is poured, incorporating the Locator Abutment Analogs.

The Abutment Analog in the master cast replicates the exact position of the Locator Abutment in the acrylic model.

Place a White Block-Out Spacer over the head of each Abutment Analog. The spacer is used to block out the immediate area surrounding the Locator Implant Abutment.

Snap a Locator Black Processing Cap Male onto each analog, leaving the white Block-Out Spacer beneath it.

Process the males into the denture base with light cured or self-curing acrylic resin.

Discard the white spacers Discard the white spacers. Damage to the final male can be avoided by polishing the denture base before changing the black processing males to the final nylon retention liners.

Use the Male Removal Tool or an explorer to remove the Black Processing Male from the metal denture cap.

The hook on the end of the curved tool is used to catch the side of the black plastic material and pull it out of the metal housing.

The nylon Locator Replacement Male replaces the black Processing Male for the final seating of the overdenture.

The Male Seating Tool is used to place the nylon Replacement Male into the empty metal denture cap.

The Replacement Male should seat securely into place, level with the rim of the cap.

Check the fit of the attachment retained overdenture on the master cast before delivering it to the dental office.

produces the same accurate result as a direct chairside pickup. The indirect processing of the Locator Male into the denture by the dental laboratory produces the same accurate result as a direct chairside pickup.

The self-aligning ability of the Locator Implant Attachment aids the patient in orienting their prosthesis, which is vital with the existence of a severely resorped mandibular ridge.

This patient that was referred to Dr This patient that was referred to Dr. Schneider has two externally hexed mandibular implants. The gingival level surrounding the implants was very shallow, as can be seen by the hex of the implant extending above the crest of the tissue on the patient’s right side.

With limited space available, use of the shortest attachment possible was indicated. Locator abutments with lowest tissue cuff height were placed using the abutment driver.

When placing multiple attachments, snap a Parallel Post into each seated Locator Abutment to check the parallelism between implants.

leaving the white spacer beneath it. For this patient, the Locator Male was placed into the overdenture using a chairside procedure. First a White Block-Out Spacer was placed over the head of each Locator Abutment. Then a Locator Cap with Black Processing Male is snapped onto each Locator Implant Abutment, leaving the white spacer beneath it.

Recesses were prepared into the denture base to accommodate the Locator Males.

The resin can also be injected through an access hole in the denture. Light-cured acrylic resin was injected around the metal cap of each Processing Cap Male. The resin can also be injected through an access hole in the denture.

The denture was inserted into position in the oral cavity, maintaining the denture in a passive condition, without compression of the soft tissue, while curing with the light.

fixation of the Locator Male into the denture base. An additional brief curing time on the lingual side of the denture will assure fixation of the Locator Male into the denture base.

The White Block-Out Spacers remained in place when the denture was removed.

The White Spacers are easily removed with an explorer instrument The White Spacers are easily removed with an explorer instrument. Use a bur to remove excess acrylic, and polish the denture base before changing to the final nylon male.

The Locator Core Tool contains three tools in one The Locator Core Tool contains three tools in one. Start with the fully assembled tool for the procedure of replacing the black processing males with the final nylon male.

The curved Male Removal Tool portion of the Locator Core Tool has a hook on the end of it.

Wedge the hook down into the bottom corner of the black plastic male.

material and pull it straight up and out of the metal housing. The hooked end of the Male Removal Tool will catch the side of the black plastic material and pull it straight up and out of the metal housing.

Remove the curved section of the Locator Core Tool to access the Male Seating Tool portion.

Place a nylon Locator Replacement Male onto the end of the Male Seating Tool.

Use the tool to firmly push the final Locator Male nylon liner into the metal Denture Cap.

The overdenture was then ready for delivery to the patient, and final adjustments.

A beautiful aesthetic result was achieved for this patient using the low profile Locator Attachments to retain the overdenture.

With the incredible retention of Locator overdentures, don’t be surprised if your patients take up a new hobby like this!