A technique for atraumatic extraction of teeth before immediate implant placement using implant drills.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to present a minimally invasive technique using the implant drills to help extract teeth before the insertion of immediate implants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients (7 women and 2 men) aged 24 to 60 years having root fractures and dental caries were included in this study. Inclusion criteria for the study were presence of at least 4 mm of bone beyond the root apex, the absence of acute signs of infection or inflammation in the treatment area, and the absence of systemic pathologies that would contraindicate bone healing around implants. Heavy smokers were not included in the study. Extraction was done after thinning the root walls by the help of the implant drills. After extraction, implant sites were prepared and implants were inserted. In 2 of the cases, the peri-implant bone defect was filled with autogenous bone graft.

RESULTS: Healing progressed uneventfully in all 9 cases. The use of implant drills to thin the root walls provided atraumatic tooth extraction protecting the thin buccal bone. At second stage surgery, all implants were asymptomatic, immobile, and osseointegrated. The soft tissue anatomy was clinically acceptable in all patients. Radiographic examination of all 9 implants showed no peri-implant radiolucency at the end of a year.

CONCLUSION: Successful osseointegration and complete bone healing were observed for all patients. The new extraction technique was found to be effective in immediate implant cases in order not to damage the thin plate of buccal bone.