implants - international magazine of oral implantology

I research 16 I implants1_2013 (100 MPa) from which damage is to be expected. The investigation was based on the assumption thatthesameprostheticconceptthatusedforcon- ventional implants was applied, causing a direct load distribution on the implant. The observed higher load might be an explana- tion for the partly increased failure rates. However, a current literature survey shows that the survival rate of implants with a reduced diameter is indeed comparable to the ones obtained for conventional implants.11 In addition, there are references point- ing towards a lower stability of mini implants and those indicating the risk that these might fracture due to their reduced diameter.1,6 However, these fracturesalsodonotseemtobeafrequentproblem associated with mini implants.4,8 _Alternative solution with reduced bone volume Mini implants prove their worth in the clinical long-termuse,providedthattheyareplacedinac- cordance with the protocol recommended by the manufacturer and inserted by trained dentists or implantologists.2,3,10 Under these conditions, they present a sensible supplement to implants with a conventional diameter in many cases. For example, mini implants are indicated in caseswherethehorizontalbonevolumeisnotsuf- ficient for conventional implant placement and where bone quality is not impaired. In many cases, augmentativemeasuresorbonesplittingwouldbe necessaryinordertocreatesufficientspaceforthe implant.Byuseofaminidentalimplant,acomplex augmentation procedure can be avoided and in particular cases, e.g. in medically compromised patients, implant treatment is only possible with implants with a small diameter, since the surgical risk can be reduced this way. In the following paragraphs, two patient cases are described in which mini dental implants were used for denture stabilisation in the mandible. Fig. 2_Initial situation in the mandible. Fig. 3_Situation after placement of two mini implants in the anterior area. Fig. 4_Drilling of the pilot hole. Fig. 5_Insertion of another implant. Fig. 6_Use of the torque wrench. Fig. 7_Adjustment of the torque wrench. Fig. 8_Final situation. Fig. 9_Radiograph for checking the final implant positions. Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9