Retrieving fractured intramobile elements from osseointegrated implants

Retrieving implants

fractured

John W. McCartney, Tripler Army Medical

intramobile

D.D.S.,* and K. Kuhar, Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

elements

from

osseointegrated

D.D.S.**

The advent of osseointegrated dental implants has resulted in a variety of systems, each requiring occasional maintenance or repairs. The IMZ system (Interpore Imernational, Irvine, Calif.) has a plastic intermediate connector or intramobile element (IME) that may fracture during extended use. The instrument provided by the manuf’acturer for insertion and removal of an intact IME does not effectively retrieve the apically fractured segment. The views or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Army or Department of Defense. *Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, DC; Chief. Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Prosthetics. **Colonel, U.S. Army, DC; Chief of Periodontics.

TECHNIQUE

FOR RETRIEVAL

Select a size 100 endodontic file and slightly bend the (Fig. 1). 2. Insert the file into the central threaded chamber of IME fractured segment. 3. Rotate the file counterclockwise, applying apically rected pressure. 4. Unscrew the fractured segment with the tip of the engaging its internal surface (Fig. 2). 1.

Reprint

requests

tip the difile

to

DR. JOHN W. MCCAHTNE~ 1299 AUWAIK~ ST. KAILUA, HI 9fi734

10/4/15819

Fig. Fig.

THE

.JOURNAL

OF PROSTHETIC

DENTISTRY

1. Modified 2. Fractured

endodontic file. segment is removed

with engaged file tip.

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