Implant Occlusion

Implant Preservation with Occlusal Analysis

It has been reported that excessive occlusal forces applied to implant prostheses may result in bone loss, uncementation,screw loosening, and material failure. As there is no periodontal ligament surrounding implants, they have no cushioning shock absorber to dampen occlusal forces.

• Occlusal forces are a potentially destructive factor to implant prostheses.
• The T-Scan III quantifies occlusal forces and allows for corrective treatment.
• Don't finish an implant case without the T-Scan!

1. "Center of Force" - ensure a balanced bite

These BEFORE and AFTER frames from T-Scan "force movies'' show a patient biting into IP (Intercuspated Position).

Notice how the T-Scan's red "Center of Force" (COF) icon shows the exact location of the balance of occlusal forces.  Adjust until your patient's COF icon is in the center of the arch, indicating superior left/right occlusal balance (AFTER).

This prevents bone loss, uncementation, screw loosening, and material failure.

BEFORE	AFTER
The red and white Center of Force (COF) icon is too far left, indicating UNBALANCED occlusion	COF icon now located in the center of the arch, indicating BALANCED occlusion

2. "Excursive Force Movies"- eliminate traumatic interferences

Here is a left lateral excursion, before and after adjustments.

The BEFORE force movie quickly and accurately displays traumatic and potentially costly interferences (force represented by bar color and height).

After adjustments, the AFTER force movie enables you to be sure all lateral stresses are removed and canine guidance is achieved.

This promotes implant longevity, saving you time and money.

BEFORE	AFTER
Pink, blue & green bars on teeth 15, 14, 12, & 2 indicate interferences in excursion	Red bar on tooth 11 indicates canine guidance - other bars eliminated show posterior interferences removed

3. "Time Delay"- load implants last to protect them

This force movie shows how sequential loading of implants after natural teeth can be achieved with the T-Scan.  This prevents unecessary forces from causing implant failure.

This is because natural teeth depress 26-110 microns into the periodontal ligament, where as implants can only depress 5-25 microns

Try that with ink smudges!

Small blue bars on left show implants barely loading; pink & green bars on right show natural teeth achieving initial load	More pink & green bars on right indicate further incremental loading of natural teeth; implants still not fully loading	Implants now loading after natural teeth with slightly less force than teeth, time delay achieved