Medical Do one-piece dental implants exist yet?

[nikkkom]

I thought I read about these a few years ago, but for the life of me, I can't find it now. Believe me, I tried.

I would appreaciate if someone has links about current status in this area.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

You mean to say something like a single tooth? Yes, that does exist, for quite some time. Have a look here.

 

[nikkkom]

You mean to say something like a single tooth? Yes, that does exist, for quite some time. Have a look here.

No, I meant an implant which is one piece, not two or three subassemblies. In your link, the implant has a titanium piece which is screwed into the jaw bone, and then a crown is attached on it. Two pieces.

 

[Tom.G]

The reason for two pieces is to allow the bone to regenerate/consolidate around the implant to make it secure. If the crown is attached too soon, the implant wiggles around in the hole from the chewing forces, eroding and enlarging the hole until the implant falls out (or breaks the bone).

 

[jtbell]

Also, it's easier to modify or even replace the crown if it's not embedded directly into the jaw bone. I have one of these implants myself, which had to be adjusted last spring. My dentist removed the crown from its titanium post, used a 3D printer to build it up on one side or make a new one (I forgot which), then trimmed it down gradually to make it mate properly with the tooth above it.

 

[nikkkom]

The reason for two pieces is to allow the bone to regenerate/consolidate around the implant to make it secure. If the crown is attached too soon, the implant wiggles around in the hole from the chewing forces, eroding and enlarging the hole until the implant falls out (or breaks the bone).

Yes, I understand the reasons, but OTOH, any interface of two materials is prone to become a place for bacterial growth. That's why we still can't make fillings which never fall off.
One-piece implant would work as "artificial tooth", with no seams in it.

 

[Doc Holiday]

One piece dental implants, at least in the modern form you're thinking of, have been around at least since the carbon post implants were tried in the 1970-80's. I have placed many one-piece implants over the years, but they are rarely used in that placement is exacting - the angulation cannot be changed, at least by much - and modifying them may cause a heat-soak problem - heated bone dies easily.

But you may have a bit of a naive impression of bacterial contact in the mouth. The major "joint" of concern is the naturally occurring sulcus where the tooth and gum meet; the total bacterial contact here is far more significant than that of an implant-to-crown joint. As for the modern joint interface design, they are all offset in a fashion that moves the joint away from direct bone contact. You will also hear arguments that Morse taper joints connecting the implant fixture body to the overlying crown are possibly bacteria-free.

As for presently available implants that are one-piece, the Straumann-ITI tissue level implant is essentially a one-piece implant in that the connection between the pieces is made above the gum-line.