Endosseous blade implants 473

Fig. 11-26. Four blades, splinted with a connecting bar mesostructure, provide more than adequate support for a removable denture.

border is interrupted, less malleting pressure is needed to tap the implant to its desired depth. Also, less bone is sacrificed than when using a blade with a continuous border. Accordingly, areas of greater porosity require blades with more secondary struts to provide greater contact surface and support (Fig. 11-23).

17. Whereas most other types of implants are contraindicated for an open socket, the blade-vent is ideal. Because of its length, its most mesial and distal ends extend beyond the socket and can be em-bedded in bone (Fig. 11-24). If there is not enough flanking bone and the bone below the socket is deep, a specially designed blade can be driven below the socket. Or, if there is enough bone around the socket, a curved blade may follow the socket's con-tour.

18. The blades adapt themselves excellently in combination with other types of screw and pin implants in the same mouth (Fig. 11-25).

19. Because the blades are so self-retentive, there is no need for a template. The additional support and stress-distributing properties of a template would be superfluous with blade implants, whereas with triplants a template is essential.

20. Blades are the strongest design to date for the support of a removable prosthesis. If a removable prosthesis is desired, the blades' protruding posts are splinted with a fixed dolder bar, which will serve as a mesostructure (Fig. 11-26) .

SHORT EDENTULOUS SPANS

The blade has been very successfully used in single tooth restorations, in restorations for free-end saddle areas, and as supports in areas flanked by

Fig. 11-27. A missing left maxillary central incisor originally restored with a removable prosthesis.

teeth. Because the design is adaptable, the implant may be fashioned to suit the particular demands of the site.

Case 1

A single tooth blade implant for the maxilla

Although other single tooth implants cannot be left unsplinted immediately after insertion, the prognosis with a blade implant seems to be much more hopeful. Also, unlike screw and pin implants, the restoration does not have to be prefabricated for a blade-vent.

In this case a restoration for a left central maxillary incisor was planned (Fig. 11-27) . The fibro-