Case report: ‘unidentified dental implant’ restoration

Often there is no representation of the implant company in our geographic area, and ordering parts is simply unrealistic. One of these cases is presented here.

A patient presented in our office after losing the old crown on tooth #11 (Fig. 1). The patient could not find the crown, which was placed in Italy in the early 1990s. The patient previously visited other offices that could not offer her any solution except the replacing of the implant. We tried to identify the system by going on the Internet and searching forums and websites; but, we had no success (Fig. 2).

We decided to use the [Stomatotech] G-Cuff system for this case, which we usually use for implant bridges. The abutment was unscrewed, and we measured the size of the abutment with the special G-Cuff measuring tool. After determining the size of the cuff, we chose the correct one from the kit. The G-Cuff was placed, and the abutment was screwed back (Fig. 3). The gold screw was fastened to the torque of 20 Ncm. A direct PVS impression was taken and sent to the lab (Fig. 4). A Zirconium coping was milled, following a porcelain esthetic finishing. The crown was placed, and only minor occlusion adjustments were needed. A control X-ray was taken (Figs. 5 and 6).

 

Conclusion

In spite of our difficulty in attempting to identify the implant, our patient was completely rehabilitated in less than a week. The G-Cuff kit is a must in every dental office because it is the only solution for UDI (unidentified dental implants), which recently have become more and more frequent. The patient was extremely satisfied with the result and the timespan of the treatment; and the reputation of our office was significantly raised.

Note: This article appeared in Dental Tribune U.S., Vol. 7, No. 9, September 2012 issue. A complete list of references is available from the publisher.