Endosseous Implant for Restoration of Single-Rooted Teeth

According to a NIDR survey on employed American adults' oral health, approximately 42% of those older than 65 years and 4% of those 35 to 65 years are totally edentulous. Additionally, by the age of 65, those with teeth have lost an average of ten, while those between the ages of 55 to 64 have lost nine. This trememdous number of individuals could benefit from dental implant therapy. Following tooth extraction, the edentulous ridge begins to resorb thus reducing the bone available for implant therapy. Implant placement at the time of tooth loss may allow early restoration and preserve remaining bone. Present implant designs require viable bone at the site's apex or bone replacement materials to provide initial implant stability. Apical bone requirements limit candidate sites and bone replacement materials may impede osseous healing. The proposed endosseous implants use proven masonry fastener technology to adjust their outer diameter, allowing them to contact bone from crest to apex of an extraction site, block epithelial downgrowth and provide initial implant stability. This technology allows the physican to place an implant immediately following tooth extraction, thus increasing the number of patients who are candidates and minimizing the cost of the procedure.