Surgical Tooth Implants, Combat and Field

摘要

This report summarizes progress on a long-term implant study of a serrated ceramic dental implant designed for fresh extraction sites. The baboon study was successfully completed in 1983. Clinical studies are presently continuing. The implants are single tooth rectangular design with serrations arranged for maximal stress distribution of occlusal loads. 88 percent of the implants in baboons survived the initial ingrowth phase. The ingrowth failures were early implant attempts, suggesting technique or operative experience may be a contributing factor. 63 percent or 24 implants were complete functional units at time of necropsy. The pathologist's evaluation was that there was no definitive evidence of any adverse effects related to the chronic implantation of ceramic teeth in the baboon. The system is based upon a series of rectangular implants specifically designed to be placed in fresh extraction sites. A rectangular socket must be fashioned to accept the implant. Fashioning of a tapered rectangular socket is, under the best of conditions, a more difficult task than preparing a hole of circular cross-section. It is possible that much higher success of this implant technology could be obtained using circular cross-section roots for edentulous cases.