Mandibular Implants for an Overdenture Need To Be Replaced: Advice?

Before you remove the ball attachments from these 20+ year old implants, i'd make sure you can get replacement/compatible attachments first. Removing the attachment is easy. Take a needleholder, grab the attachment and Lefty Loosy. Good luck.

Thank you for your suggestion. We actually did try using the needleholder to remove the attachment but it didn't work. It looks like it had been torqued past 30Ncm or more when it was initially placed.

Hi, actually this are dalla bonna´s, but your problem is not that(lifecore, now keystone makes the key to remove the hexed ones)your problem is that the left ones are IMZ implants. Those are not made anymore and I really dont know if you can get a compatible abutment from 3I (they used to make them) but if that is not a possibility I dont see how can you replace them, since IMZ is only compatible with IMZ.Also they use a special key to remove them. best of luck

Try with Attachments International, they produce all kind of abutments for many implant´s brands

Contact Attachments International 18009993003 or 16503401426 (technicalsupport) They still stock the IMZ parts including the Dalla Bonna dn driver. If the square driver does not exist just cut a slot in it and use a screw driver.

Those implants appear to be two different types the left side fixtures look like IMZ and the right hard to tell. I would suggest after identifying the fixtures consider placing Locator attachments.

Dr Y, Why mess with success? Unless the balls are severely damaged, which they do not appear to be, just clean up the implants and order new females for a new denture.You can measure the ball diameter with a boley guage or micrometer if unknown and most any o-ring female of proper size will work. Why look for headaches?

Gotta agree with DrO on this one. Why do you need to replace them?

Dr. Kurtzman, call me stupid, but I can't understand all your abbreviations. Please enlighten a poor resident!

OMS resident, the IMZ Implant System was developed in Germany by Dr. Axel Kirsch in the early 1970’s. It featured a shock absorbing intermobile element (IMZ)for stress reduction. Is this what you are wondering about?

Looks like you have a mix of two systems but the balls look to be Dalla Bona type design which was available for both implant types. I believe they are 2.25mm. You should be able to get replacement housings/snaps. Otherwise, you could polish them down slightly with a cup and some diamond polish and change over to 2.2mm bredent housings (VKS-OC). Otherwise, like I said, you can probably retrofit the Bredent without too much trouble and they are widely available from XPdent. Use a lighter friction and they will probably snap right on. I think this will save you a lot of trouble over trying to replace the abutments. Just clean them up and give them a nice polish again. Best of luck, Ryan

If these abutments are tightened in significantly. I'd measure the ball attachment and get parts ordered. There are plenty of implant labs out there that will have parts and can provide the correct housing.

Left side is definitely IMZ. Right looks like old straumann.

i think leaving them is wiser than remove them u can help here with BOI implants in the molar region and connect them together with bridge or whatever so

Dr Y, look up dallas Bonaparte on the net. It is an attachment, not an implant system. You may want to order implant instruments from Salvin. Salvin has a page with all the different screw drivers. I ordered one of each and make a copy of the sheet as a reference. You can also go to whatimplantisthat.com. I think that is the webpage. These old cases or cases where components are no longer manufactured are a challenge and head ache. You may want to have the implant rep help you.

Dr Y, my iPad did it again. Lookmup Dalla bona on the net. Some of the other post have given you some good advice.