A Resonance Frequency Technique to Monitor the Integrity of Dental Implants

摘要

Titanium implants are being used increasingly to provide support for prostheses replacing missing teeth in edentulous and partially dentate patients. There is good histological evidence to show that in satisfactory implants bone forms in intimate contact with the implant surface during the healing process following fixture placement [1]. Currently, fixtures are left unloaded for a period of 3–6 months following placement in order to allow this healing process to occur. It would be very valuable to be able to monitor the healing process non-invasively in order to determine more accurately when it is safe to load the implant. Similarly, during service, it would be beneficial to be able to detect the onset of problems such as an increase in the mobility of the implant due to infection, or to a decrease in the height of the bone surrounding the implant.