Unknown implant: internal hex?

These two implants were placed in India in Delhi or Chandigarh 7 or 8 years ago. I have some pictures and a radiograph. What implant system is this? I could take the cover screw out with a Biomet 3i hex driver. The inside looks like an internal hex, but probably is conical. It had very difficult visibility and I could not tell.





8 Comments on Unknown implant: internal hex?

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Implant Prosthodontics
2/1/2018
It is not conical as I have described earlier, it is internal hex with a straight flange and a convex rounded tip end. I could not take the cover screw out with my Zimmer, Implant direct legacy or MIS hex tool but the 3i hex tool fit the coverscrew perfectly. I am trying to restore the two implants. Knowing the implant system would help a great deal.
David Kochberg
2/1/2018
Alpha Bio is/was quite popular. They are a Zimmer clone. Looks like it could be that
WJ Starck DDS
2/1/2018
Honestly, if it were me I wouldn’t restore either one of those. You’d be really opening a can of worms. Do you really want to be married to this patient. The lower left implant is placed to far supercrestally and the interface between it and #20 is already compromised. The #30 implant is too narrow to the extent that the occlusal load will overload any restorative abutment screw. This patient needs a comprehensive (whole mouth) restorative plan before addressing these implants. In my opinion they need to be removed and redone, but not before the patient understands that they have a lot of other dental problems that need to be addressed, and while they would wish it were the case, dentistry cannot be done piecemeal. You break it, you bought it. Do you really want to buy this patient’s neglect?
Matt Helm D.D.S.
2/1/2018
Both in photos and on x-ray this looks like an Alpha-Bio or its AB clone. Or maybe even Alfa-Gate. They all have the same standard internal parallel hex seat. The Alpha-Bio and AB driver has a square head. The Alfa-Gate has both square and hex-head drivers. I would stick to the square-head driver, as it's less likely for the abutment screw heads to strip. All very popular in Israel, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Zimmer or MIS drivers, impression and model analogues, or abutments won't fit. You'll need all of them from Alpha-Bio, AB, or Alfa-Gate. The same square-head driver that fit the cover screw will also fit the impression/model analogues and the abutments on the Alpha-Bio and the AB. This internal system was originally marketed by Dentsply as the Spectra System on their cylindrical implants, 1996-1997 vintage, so you might have some luck with Dentsply analogues and abutments if you're Stateside. When the Denstply license expired, the original Israeli inventor (who had sold it to Dentsply) started the Alpha-Bio and AB lines. They are not Zimmer clones. Alpha-Bio and AB do have other clones. In any case, this parallel internal hex seat is quite widespread.
Frank
2/1/2018
I agree with Dr Starck. I would not restore these implants. There are 600 brands worlwide. What do you know of thw quality and precision of this connection. What can you tell your patient about longevity? Are you comfortable with the positionning and diameter of implants? Even if you find ''compatible'' parts. How good wil the fit be? In microns? Use that time to go golfing!
Dr. Suresh
2/2/2018
Looks like an uniti implant from equinox. Internal hex, straight flange and a convex rounded tip....all characteristic features of uniti
Paul McDonald
2/2/2018
When it is stated "not before the patient understands that they have a lot of other dental problems that need to be addressed" I presume you are referring to the localised anterior toothwear ( I can't see any other pathology on the x-ray, which is admittedly a poor resolution OPG on this platform), but I dont think we know the age of the patient. If the patient were late 70s plus, would we do anything, unless diagnostic waxing showed it would be impossible to avoid non-working interferences on the implant-supported restorations ?
Sajjad A.Khan
2/8/2018
Dr.Suresh is correct this is 'Uniti' implant system . Do not listen to those 'Cry babies' already trying to scare you . Both implants are time tested so go on line and order the impression post and other necessary parts and restore with confidence and well written consent form signed and witnessed. And to those cry babies be a Doctor not A tooth guy pretending to be a doctor.

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