title: Custom-made, selective laser sintering (SLS) blade implants as a non-conventional solution for the prosthetic rehabilitation of extremely atrophied posterior mandible.
abstract: The treatment of severely atrophied posterior mandibles with standard-diameter root-form implants may present a challenge. Bone reconstructive surgery represents the treatment of choice; however, it may not be accepted by some patients for economic reasons or due to higher morbidity. Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies have recently opened new frontiers in biomedical applications. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a CAD/CAM technique that allows the fabrication of complex three-dimensional (3D) structures created by computer-generated image-based design techniques. The aim of this study is to present a protocol for the manufacture and clinical use of custom-made SLS titanium blade implants as a non-conventional therapeutic treatment for the prosthetic rehabilitation of extremely atrophied posterior mandibles. Computed tomography datasets of five patients were transferred to a specific reconstruction software, where a 3D projection of the atrophied mandible was obtained, and custom-made endosseous blade implants were designed. The custom-made implants were fabricated with SLS technique, placed in the extremely atrophied posterior (<4 mm width) mandible, and immediately restored with fixed partial restorations. After 2 years of loading, all implants were in function, showing a good esthetic integration. Blade implants can be fabricated on an individual basis as a custom-designed device. This non-conventional approach may represent an option for restoring the atrophied posterior mandible of elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Dental School, Oral Surgery Unit, University of Varese, Piazza Trento 4, 22015, Gravedona, Como, Italy. francescomangano1@mclink.net
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bazzoli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tettamanti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farronato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maineri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001751:Blade Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants