Implant Mechanical Rescue Solutions

What can be done is an initial question. It should be mitigated by another: What should be done. Three fundamental questions should be addressed to sort out what can be or should be done:

• Is the case stable or predictable enough to justify proceeding with an implant mechanical rescue?
• How will the implant mechanical rescue process proceed and will the rescue change the answer to the previous question?
• What is the mechanical reason this implant component failure happened?

Moving forward with a safe implant mechanical rescue procedure

It is possible to safely recover most, if not all, fractured components, assuming there is:

• Access to do so
• A thorough understanding of the dimensions and mechanics of the system being worked on
• Adequate visualization to track progress.
• The necessary precision recovery tools and treatment algorithms utilized throughout the procedure.

How to avoid repeat mechanical failure

Avoiding repeat mechanical failure is built on an understanding of the mechanics that led to the original failure, and redesigning or reengineering the restorative solution to correct them. In some cases it could mean placement of second implant so each of the two implants supports a crown, rather than a severely cantilevered crown teeter-tottering. In other cases, splinting the implant supported restorations stabilizes and strengthens both. Each case is unique, and the dental implant ‘forensics’, mechanics and engineering can be integrated into a more stable long term solution. As Einstein purportedly said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”