Easier to Deal with Implant Failure if Implants Are Free-Standing?
Posted in advice Surgical Placement of Dental Implants
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Subscribe to this PostAnon. asks:
I have a patient treatment planned for an implant supported fixed partial denture extending from #9 to 14 with implant fixtures placed in the #9, 11, 13 and 14 sites and pontics in the #10 and 12 areas – a total of 6-units with 4-implants and 2-pontics. #14 will be a wide platform implant and the others will be regular platform. My surgeon is not recommending that I make #14 a free-standing implant and crown and not connect to the fixed partial denture. He also recommends placing an implant in the #12 site and making a fixed partial denture to connect #9, 11 and 12. He feels that the canine site should have more support. He also advises that #13 should be a free-standing implant and crown. His orientation is that implants fail even if everything is done right. With his treatment plan, it would be easier to retreat implant failure in the #13 and 14 sites if it occurs because those implants will be free-standing. What do you think?
dear anon,
i think your surgeon is being over cautious in placing the number of implants and giving less thought to prosthetic planning.
maxillary implants perform better when splinted(due to the poor quality of bone) rather than stand alone.
it may be good idea(provided the patient has enough money) to have one implant for every tooth being replaced.
but only a well engineered prosthesis with proper occlusal scheme is bound to be sucessful.
there are enough data to prove that.
we should beleive in a treatment process before we practice on the patients