Failed Dental Implant: When Titanium Fractures

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of titanium implants in orthopedic and dental surgeries, concerns have recently emerged regarding potential deformations and fractures after osseointegration. In a recent clinical case, a titanium implant fractured after successful osseointegration. This fracture occurred despite the absence of any significant trauma or excessive external force applied to the area. The fracture was attributed to a combination of factors, including abutment design flaws, material fatigue, and biomechanical stress imposed on the implant during functional loading. This raises concerns about the long-term durability and reliability of titanium implants, particularly in high-stress areas such as the posterior region or weight-bearing bones. An image was made with scanning electron microscopy showing the fracture region near the prosthetic platform and highlighting the knowledge that despite their ductility, titanium implants can fracture.

Keywords: biomaterial; dental implants; dental restoration failure; fracture strength; single-tooth implants.

Figure 1

Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of fractured retrieved dental implant showing a longitudinal crack originated from prosthetic platform at cervical level, descending to the implant apex at (A) 40× magnification, (B) 100×, and (C) 500×.