New implant shape to simplify narrow ridge treatment

This lecture highlights the importance of adopting the most predictable and less invasive surgical procedure when approaching a crestal bone with horizontal defect.

This lecture highlights the importance of adopting the most predictable and less invasive surgical procedure when approaching a crestal bone with horizontal defect. A specific decision tree for positioning tapered implants is introduced, which helps to establish the boundary between a simple surgical technique and more complex bone augmentation procedures. Furthermore, the decision tree encourages the clinician to evaluate and select the more predictable, less invasive technique between split crest, guided bone regeneration and block graft in relation to the the specifc characteristics of the crestal bone.

The main topic of the presentation is the introduction of the new wedge-shaped PiezoImplants. These implants’ geometry features a rectangular section, which allows their insertion with a minimallly invasive technique even in residual crestal bone which would require augmentation procedures for the placement of conventional implants.

Essential scientific bases and clinical rationale of PiezoImplants are presented with a 10 years follow-up.
A step-by-step surgical protocol introduces two new implant site preparation techniques: a perforation technique completed using dedicated piezoelectric inserts in order to obtain rectangular section of the implant site; a new expansion technique that increases the residual crestal bone width with the aid of controlled-impact technology.

In conclusion, this presentation unequivocally establishes that using the new implant shape requires redefining the diagnostic evaluation of horizontal defects because the minimum crestal width required for the placement of PiezoImplants is exactly half of that needed for screw implants. It represents a new paradigm in Implantology.