Objective examination of a 65-year-old patient with the completely edentulous mandible revealed a marked uniform atrophy of the alveolar bone; bony prominences on the lingual surface in the region where premolars had previously been. Mucosa was unevenly pliable; alveolar crest was mobile in the frontal region. The clinical condition of the mandible should be taken into consideration at the following stage of denture fabrication: