Journal of Oral Implantology February 2012 - (Page 33)

CLINICAL Use of Intraoral Welding to Stabilize Dental Implants in Augmented Sites for Immediate Provisionalization: A Case Report Pierluigi Avvanzo1* Lelio A. Fabrocini2 Domenico Ciavarella1 Andrea Avvanzo3 Lorenzo Lo Muzio1 Raffaele A. De Maio3 Immediate implant rehabilitation of edentulous arches may be somewhat problematic because of anatomic situations involving insufficient bone thickness or height and tooth position. The aim of this report was to present a retrospective case series of dental implants placed into augmented sites (split crest or sinus augmentation) that were stabilized with an intraorally welded framework at the time of immediate provisionalization. An intraoral welding unit was used to join and stabilize implants as an orthopedic splint to break down forces applied on provisional restorations during healing and osseointegration. This approach allows for the immediate provisionalization of implants in bone-defective areas where multiple implant systems have been enacted. Forty-eight implants in 16 patients were inserted, welded together to a titanium framework, and immediately provisionalized during the same surgery in which split-crest or sinus augmentation procedures were performed. After removing the welded frameworks, 1 of 48 implants failed; the failed implant was associated with a sinus augmentation procedure. Intraoral welding stabilization may be a predictable procedure to allow immediate loading in augmented areas during healing time and to stabilize implants against nonaxial forces, thereby reducing the number of surgical and prosthetic sessions and making patients comfortable and accustomed to immediate fixed provisional and definitive restorations. Key Words: intraoral welding, immediate loading, split crest, sinus floor elevation INTRODUCTION Department of Oral Surgery, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. 2 Department of Oral Surgery, Ospedali Riuniti di Foggia General Hospital, Foggia, Italy. 3 Private practice, Foggia, Italy. * Corresponding author, e-mail: info@studioavvanzo.it DOI: 10.1563/AAID-JOI-D-10-00047 1 I mmediate implant insertion and provisionalization has been defined as a predictable procedure that can be enacted with no particular differences with respect to types of implants involving various morphologies and microstructural features.1–4 It is known that Journal of Oral Implantology 33

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Oral Implantology February 2012

A Fluent Electronic Support and Clinical Care Letters: New Formats and More Interactivity Between Journal of Oral Implantology and Its Readers
Dental Implants Immediate Loading Versus the Standard 2-Staged Protocol: An Experimental Study in Dogs
Correlation Between Surface Hydrophilicity and Osteoblastic Differentiation on Microgrooved Titanium Substrata
Analyzing the Effects of the Platform-Switching Procedure on Stresses in the Bone and Implant-Abutment Complex by 3-Dimensional Fem Analysis
Detection of the Mandibular Canal and the Mental Foramen in Panoramic Radiographs: Intraexaminer Agreement
Use of Intraoral Welding to Stabilize Dental Implants in Augmented Sites for Immediate Provisionalization: A Case Report
Maxillary Sinus Augmentation With Autogenous Tibial Bone Graft as an In-Office Procedure
Influence of Prognostic Risk Indicators on Osseointegrated Dental Implant Failure: A Matched Case-Control Analysis
Full Mouth Rehabilitation With Dental Implants for a Patient With Skeletal Class III Malocclusion: A Case Report
Removal of Fractured Implants Using the Apicoectomy Technique and Immediate Replacement With New Implants: Case Report
Reconstruction of a Patient With Rosai-Dorfman Disease Using Ramus Graft and Osseointegrated Implants: A Case Report
Immediate Loading in Mandible Full-Arch: Pilot Study in Patients With Osteoporosis in Bisphosphonate Therapy
Natural Tooth Versus Implant: A Key to Treatment Planning

Journal of Oral Implantology February 2012