Biomechanical properties in titanium implants with integrated maintenance free shock absorbing elements

Good functional properties are essential in dental implantology. Bio-kineti c elements are imitating dental resilience. In this study a new kind of imp lants with maintenance free shock absorbing elements will be introduced and their bio-mechanic properties reported. The mobile implant (SIS Inc., Klag enfurt, Austria) is a self-cutting conical screw implant with an integrated bio-kinetic element. The shock absorber is a central part of the implant a nd a titanium ring closes the shock absorbing unit within the implant. The resilience of the implant was tested by axial and horizontal loading in a s pecial testing unit. Furthermore, a survival test of the elastic titanium r ing in the most exposed cervical part of the implant was performed. The reg ion was examined by electron microscopy after 12 million movements in the a xial and horizontal direction. A progressive shock absorption was registere d during horizontal and axial movements. The maximum movements were 0.06 mm in the axial and 0.16 mm in the horizontal direction. There were seen no s igns of material destruction in the electron microscopic analysis. A mainte nance-free bio-kinetic implant with progressive shock absorbing qualities w as registered. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.