Basal implants - disadvantages, problems, risks and complications

Implantology is one of the most innovative and modern parts of modern dentistry. Its main goal is to replace a missing tooth with an implant, as well as to place one after extraction of a tooth that is inescapable, ie there is no adequate and possible treatment for it.
There are many reasons why many patients choose implantology. In practice, they overlap with the benefits of dental implants.
However, do all the well-known benefits of implantology apply in absolutely every case? Actually not. Implant therapies can vary dramatically in their reliability and safety depending on the type of implant used. The basal implant occupies a permanent place in the group of low-quality and unsuitable implants. According to research and modern practice, basal implants have the lowest success rate. You will find out why this is so in today's article.

Basal implants - preliminary notes

Basal implantology began to be talked about and applied in practice in the early 1970s. In fact, in the United States and Europe, basal implantology will soon be banned because it is risky and poses many dangers to patients during and after the procedure.
What is a basal implant and how is it placed?
The basal implant is a one-piece implant with a smooth, polished surface, aggressive thread and low cost. It is placed in the cortical (hardest part) of the bone. Characteristic of basal implantology is that it aims to place a bridge immediately after implantation. This implies a strong tightening when placing the implants. Why, then, is basal implantology so fiercely criticized by a number of specialists?
The answer is very simple: treatment with basal implants has more disadvantages than advantages. And these negatives are not to be underestimated.

What are the disadvantages of basal implants?

1. Basal implants, unlike other types, do not connect to the bone in any way. The smooth, polished surface does not allow bone cells to grow on the surface, ie there is no process of osseointegration. This means that at any time the basal implant can be displaced or developed quite easily. The lack of osseointegration, in addition to creating a weaker base, is a prerequisite for easier penetration of bacteria between the implant and the bone. This is the main cause of complications in basal implants - inflammation (periimplantitis).

2. One-piece implants do not allow correction of the inclination of the gingival part, which requires bending with pliers or filing directly in the mouth. This can displace the implant or split the bone. Everyone can conclude about the strength of these implants as long as they allow bending with pliers.

3. Taking an impression of single-piece basal implants is easy and fast. Such an imprint transmits the information to the laboratory inaccurately and is a challenge for dental technicians to develop a correct model and accurate construction. With standard osteointegrating implants, the impression is made with the help of transfers, analogues, which accurately recreate the situation in the oral cavity and allow the construction of a precise bridge.

4. The fixing of the bridge is done only by gluing with cement (unlike the standard ones where the bridge is fixed with screws). This is a compromise option due to the risk of retaining cement under the bridge or between the implant and the gum (especially 2-3 days after surgery). Cement residues cause inflammation of the gums and bone, often leading to the loss of implants.

5. Removing a bridge glued with cement is difficult, frequent and impossible (it is removed together with the implants), risky for the implants and usually consists in complete destruction of the bridge.

6. A morally outdated concept that does not allow the use of all available digital technologies for implant placement with a surgical guide and printing or kadkam cutting of the permanent bridge.

7. Due to the lower strength and smaller diameter of the basal implants, it is necessary to place a larger number of them compared to standard implants.

8. The low cost of basal implants is due to the lack of a surface for osseointegration, on the one hand, and the lack of individual components, such as multithreads, superstructures, screws, roof caps, fixation screws, transfers, analogs and scanning superstructures on the other.

The claims that basal implants are suitable in the presence of insufficient bone and that bone replacement procedures are avoided due to them are incorrect. The truth is that the minimum required amount of bone does not change depending on the type of implant. Bone replacement procedures can also be avoided with standard implants. Basal implants have no advantage over standard ones. They are offered by some dentists because of their low cost and simplified work protocol.
Basal implants do not meet modern medical standards for reliability and safety and will soon be officially banned in the European Union and North America. That is why we, the team of Dental Clinic Aleksandar Valev use only modern, osteointegrating, multi-part implants.
We advise you to think carefully before choosing implants for your treatment. The bitterness of poor quality stays much longer than the satisfaction of the low price paid!