Basal implantation. Evil or innovation?

Patients often ask our surgeons: how do we feel about accelerated implant methods, particularly basal implants? Can such methods be both high-quality and affordable?

Our answer is simple: the cost is too high for the patient's health! What may initially seem like an ideal solution in terms of price and recovery time can actually lead to serious problems. In a short period, a patient risks losing not only the implant and prosthesis but also critical surrounding tissues: the bone structure and the soft gum tissue. This can result in significant disability, where both the height and width of the bone ridge are lost, along with the gums.

Basal Implantation

Correcting complications from basal implantation can take years and require 5 to 10 times the cost of traditional implantation.

Complications from basal implantation that bring patients to our clinic:

• Exposure of the implant necks after 1-5 years of use.
• Implant mobility and pus discharge from the gums.
• Bad breath on the side of the implantation.
• Pain in the temporomandibular joint after implantation and prosthetics.
• Persistent pain in the implant area.

Causes of Problems with Basal Implants

Unlike traditional biological fixation, basal implants are held in place through macromechanical anchoring in the bone. The large threads on the implant create stress points that can fracture the bone under load, causing pain. Traditional implants, on the other hand, integrate with the bone through surface microdesign, ensuring reliable and long-lasting attachment.

A low-quality alloy in basal implants may not provide sufficient biocompatibility, leading to rejection by the body. Basal implants can be unscrewed like screws, whereas a traditional implant can only be removed with the surrounding bone.

Chronic inflammation around a basal implant quickly leads to the loss of bone and gum tissue. Placing a traditional implant in such areas will require additional regenerative surgeries. If the atrophy is too severe, restoring the bone may no longer be possible.

Poor-quality prosthetics on basal implants also create issues. Prostheses installed simultaneously with the implants are often short-lived, can disrupt the bite, and lead to joint problems, as well as discomfort during chewing.

The only way to fix the consequences of basal implantation is by replacing the entire structure. Retaining basal implants is not advisable since complications will continue to progress.

Treatment Options After Unsuccessful Basal Implantation:

• Bone and soft tissue grafting followed by traditional implantation. Under basal implants, the bone can resorb to the point where there isn’t enough volume for standard implants. Grafting and implantation procedures can take up to two years.
• Zygomatic implants often become a suitable alternative when bone grafting isn’t possible, and there’s a need to reduce treatment time.
• Removable dentures can be a budget-friendly option for replacing failed implants and sometimes are the only solution when facing insurmountable complications from previous treatments.