title: Designing a transmandibular implant with the aid of biostereometric analysis.
abstract: A biostereometric survey of severely resorbed dry mandibles was used to determine whether it was possible to design a transmandibular implant that could be used for the majority of clinical situations. Computerized profiles of the relevant mandibular areas were generated and superimposed to examine the feasibility of a universal shape. It would appear that the crestal shape of the mandible between the mental foramina is on the circumference of a circle and that the surface of the inferior border is so variable that a flat surface would have to be used for a transmandibular implant. A design of a transmandibular implant is proposed on the basis of the common anatomic features of the mandible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Potgieter
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jooste
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010780:Photogrammetry
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants