Custom-made, selective laser sintering (SLS) blade implants as a non-conventional solution for the prosthetic rehabilitation of extremely atrophied posterior mandible

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. © 2012 Springer-Verlag London Ltd.