Dental Implant Systems

dental implant systems

How many different dental implant systems and companies are there?

How many different dental implant systems are there? Well best guess is 300 and some. How many dental implant companies are there? Around 110 seems pretty close. The huge number is going to be a major issue in the future!

Image of the different dental implant systems in our office
Different dental implant systems just in our office. We place Biohorizons and Hiossen and routinely restore Nobel trilobe, active, and conical. Our office also restores a fair number of 3i, Zimmer, Straumann, and Implant Direct. We also have parts and occasionally have to restore a few older external hex implants, Ankylos, and Astra. It’s a headache.

How many different dental implant companies exist?

Not sure anyone knows the answer to that.  We ran across a list recently that had us wondering though. Osstell IDX List for dental implants

We are testing the Osstell for Clinician’s Research.  This product tests dental implant stability through Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) to ensure that the implant has proper osseo-intergration before placing a crown or other prosthesis on the dental implant.  Well the above linked form is used to select what dental implant system you use with the product.  It lists 107 different companies with up to 11 different models for each company.  The average I would guesstimate is around 3, so there are maybe 300 some different implant systems, at least, currently being used.  This article in Implant Practice US from Dec 2014 claims there are 1,300 dental implant types, and based on their wording that appears to include sizes.  That would correlate well with my 300 different implant systems as most systems have 4 sizes; 300×4.

Kong JOMI 2023 states there are hundreds of manufacturers producing thousands of types of implants. However, not sure what that means exactly as many will be clones.

Another list from Penguin with 60 some companies.

US dental implant companies

How many different implant connection types are there?

This is actually more critical than different implant companies. There are many clone implant companies that make implants that are the same as name brand implants whose patent has run out. For a restoring dentist all that matters is the platform type or connection. So how many are there? No idea. Below is a photo that shows most of the major ones and likely this covers the vast majority of the market. Preat has a list of many brands and what they are compatible with in their prosthetic catalog.

How many different implant connection types are there?

Why having so many different dental implant companies causes issues.

For people that move to another country and who’s doctor used a smaller less known company, that will make live very complicated for my colleagues.  There has certainly been multiple dental implants come and go already, making some components impossible to find.  I can only assume of the 107 dental implant companies, a fair percentage will go out of business over the course of the next decade, creating even more issues.  Fortunately there is a website to help us identify dental implants based on x-ray examination (what implant is that).  Also Preat has an app that they will help you identify an implant and a section of the product catalog with photos to help with identification. There are places that make custom parts and many labs can do this.  I have never had to use anyone yet but someone on dentaltown recommended this, “Osso Tanium, an Implant company in Albuquerque NM can fabricate just about any needed part, contact Chris Sanchez at Christopher.sanchez@ossotanium.com”

Small list of different implant brands

I was making a list of dental implants until it came to my attention that there is way too many for me to track.

Dental implant systems

Engage by OCO Biomedical – bone level hex connection
I-Micro, I-Mini, ISI, TSI, ERI, and ERI Macro

MDL by Ultimatics – mini system

Southern Implants – 6 implants but like Max for immediate molar

Mis-Implants

  1. Seven – internal hex
  2. M4, C1, UNO

Hi-Tec Implants – 7 options plus all the minis

KAT implants – lots of abnormal sizes

Inclusive – glidewell uses in their tooth replacement solution

Klockner – 2 implants don’t get either one

AB – 10 implants

Dentium – 4 implants

Clone dental implant companies

Blue Sky Bio has many clones like Bio Internal Hex which is a zimmer clone
Bio Trilobe – NobelReplace
Bio One Stage straumann synOcta

Legacy 1-4 by Impant Direct
Swishplant – straumann clone
Reactive- Nobel clone

List of the unusual dental implants

This a collection of the unusual dental implants that are out there. They can be hard to work with mostly because doctors are unfamiliar with them and the parts are harder to find.

Tatum are an American brand that are rarely seen.

Tatum dental implant case

Tatum D x-rays
Tatum D implants

The transmandibular dental implant is likely not in use anywhere anymore and most of these patients have likely passed away. The parts are not made either, so the few patients with one like this on DT need to just have a reline. The one one DT is a Transosteal.

Transmandibular dental implant

Another transmandibular dental implant x-ray, possibly a Bosker made of gold. Either need to make it work or start over. Randy Root at Root Lab in Kansas might be able to help.

The Ultratooth dental implant is unique because it’s apical portion is spread out after insertion. Sargon is very similar and I do not know how to tell the difference. It seems Sargon may only be used by the inventor. PartMaker may have parts to restore.

Ultratooth dental implant

Basal dental implants

The Ihde basal dental implant is common in India but you can get parts in the US. The most common weird one seen is the Tramonte implant. NSI dental implants are another brand of basal implants. My understanding is the dentist places them and then bends them to be parallel and immediate loads them with a prosthesis. US dentists have no access to parts so are hands are pretty much tied when issues arise, this is one of the risks of dental tourism. I found this interesting historical article on Tramonte style and other old dental implants.

Images of IHDE dental implants Tramonte design
IHDE dental implants Tramonte design on far right and others are Tramonte similar.
Historical images of denatl implants like Tramonte
Historical images of dental implants like Tramonte

Another Ihde type of implant is the disk implant or lateral basal implant. This one is so uncommon in the US that you can barely even find it on google and it’s not on the English version of the Inde website with the Tramonte style implant. If you google TOI implant you can find some information in English, but DT has about as much as google.

Disc ihde implant or lateral basal implants in European patient.
Very complex and unusual dental implants, with some lateral basal implants.

 

Thommen dental implants have a unique screwdriver system. They use a four leaf clover style screwdriver.

Thommen dental implants have a unique screwhead

The 3.5mm Thommen dental implant has a strange look. I had one of the most helpful people ever when I called them to order parts.

X-ray of a Thommen 3.5mm dental implant

Imtec Endure implants look like an implant inside an implant.

Imtec endure denal implantsAs does this implant, Linea from Physioplant in Italy.

Linea dental implant is a strange looking implant.

Dental implants that are no longer in existence and you probably can not find parts for

Some of out of business implants are prosthetically unique and thus it may be impossible to still get parts. Some companies went out of business and their components never fit well anyway. An example of that is BioLife. That was a local company and the only one using the implants was the owner. If there are any parts available they likely do not fit together well as that was part of the reason he lost his license.

BioLife dental implant from Michael D'Alise in Oak Brook.

Duodent is a company that is gone and the connection was unique so no compatible parts exist.

Vitredent vitreous carbon implant

Radiolucent dental implant x-ray.

Not around anymore. Don’t show up on x-rays so hard to know if failing or doing fine. DT thread on them.

Perioseal dental implants are gone and not compatible with anything.

Perioseal dental implant

Blade dental implants

Blade dental implants were once fairly popular, then were gone, and are now back.

Implants that are not really dental implants

The sleep apnea anchors for a tongue or hyoid bone lift look like dental implants that are in the inferior border of the mandible.

Inferior border of the mandible dental implants that are really anchors for sleep apnea treatment.