Management of fractured dental implants: a case report

• Published in: Implant dentistry Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 10 - 16
• Main Authors: Mendonça, Gustavo, Mendonça, Daniela Baccelli Silveira, Fernandes-Neto, Alfredo Júlio, Neves, Flávio Domingues
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2009
• Subjects: Aged; Biomechanical Phenomena; Bruxism - complications; Dental Abutments; Dental Implants; Dental Prosthesis Repair - instrumentation; Dental Prosthesis Repair - methods; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; Dental Restoration Failure; Dentistry; Denture Retention - instrumentation; Denture, Complete, Lower; Denture, Overlay; Female; Humans; Patient Care Planning; Stress, Mechanical
• ISSN: 1056-6163; 1538-2982
• DOI: 10.1097/ID.0b013e318192cafe

An implant fracture may be one of the major causes of late implant failures. Complications, such as loosening or fracture of the prosthesis restorative components, or even fracture of the implant, may occur and dental professionals should be aware of the causes of these complications. This study reports a clinical situation involving a patient restored with a mandibular overdenture that presented a fractured implant 2 years after placement. The probable cause of the implant fracture was due to biomechanical overload caused by parafunctional habits. The implant head was flattened to make it smooth, retapping the internal screw, installing a new abutment (longer), and fabricating part of the overdenture bar. This treatment was timesaving for the patient in that the prosthesis was repaired in the shortest time possible.