Custom-made laser sintered implant placed in atrophic alveolar ridge: A case report

OBJECTIVES. Modern computerized tomography (CT) acquisition and three dimensional image conversion, combined with the new Direct Laser Metal Forming (DLMF) process, allow the fabrication of custom-made, anatomically-shaped implants. This report demonstrates the successful clinical use of a custom-made, anatomically-shaped DLMF, placed in an extremely atrophic mandibular ridge, characterised by bucco-lingual thickness ATERIALS AND METHODS. CT images of the residual atrophic mandibular ridge were required and modified with specific software into a 3D model. From this model, a custom-made, anatomically-shaped one-piece dental implant was fabricated, with the DLMF technique. The implant RESULTS. After 30 months of functional loading, the implant was well integrated from the functional and aesthetic point of view. CONCLUSIONS. The possibility to fabricate custom-made implants opens new interesting horizons in the sental field.