Osseodensification 1
Osseodensification 1
Osseodensification 1
By
Library Dissertation
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
The degree of
IN
PERIODONTOLOGY
PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF PERIODONTOLGY
BELAGAVI, KARNATAKA
2022-2025
S. TOPIC PAGE
NO. NUMBER
1 Introduction
2 History
7 Osseointegration
7.1Factors affecting osseointegration
7.2Bone remodeling around dental implants
8 Osseodensification
8.1 Rationale of osseodensification
8.2 Unique Characteristics
8.3 Characteristics of osseodensification drills
8.4 Densah® BurMarking
8.5 Technology behind the Densah® burs
8.6 The Densah® Bur Kit
8.7 Mechanism of the osseodensification procedure
8.8 Advantages of osseodensification
8.9 Disadvantages of osseodensification
8.10 Indications
8.11 Contraindications
8.12 Protocol for the use of Densah® bur in different
bone qualities
(a) Protocol I- Osseodensification facilitates
medium and soft bone density
(b)Protocol II- Osseodensification in dense
bone quality in the mandible
(c) Protocol III- Osseodensification facilitates
lateral ridge expansion
(d) Protocol IV- Osseodensification facilitates
vertical ridge expansion
(e) Protocol V- Instructions for maintenance
of Densah™burs kit
9 Osseodensification versus conventional osteotomy
10 Limitations
12 Conclusion
13 Bibliography
OSSEODENSIFICATION
INTRODUCTION
A dental implant is one of the treatments to replace missing teeth. The most common cause of
teeth loss is periodontitis, and other causes include dental caries, trauma, developmental
defects, and genetic disorders. The use of dental implants to rehabilitate the loss of teeth has
increased in the last 30 years1.
Before dental implants, dentures or bridges were used for cosmesis in edentulous patients. A
removable denture (false teeth) is a prosthesis composed primarily of acrylic resin or
porcelain seated in a plastic mount and supported by the surrounding hard and soft tissues of
the oral cavity. A denture may be partial or complete depending on whether a patient is
missing some or all of his or her teeth in a single arch. A bridge is a fixed (non-removable)
partial denture that is used to replace a missing tooth or several missing teeth. A bridge
consists of an artificial or “dummy” tooth or teeth composed of gold, porcelain, or
porcelainfused- to-metal. A crown is used to anchor a bridge to the adjacent normal teeth.
Dental implants have a number of advantages over conventional fixed partial denture. A high
success rate (above 97% for 10 years), a decreased risk of caries and endodontic problems of
adjacent teeth, improved maintenance of bone in edentulous site, decreased sensitivity of
adjacent teeth3. The overall high success rate and predictability of the process, and with the
relatively small percentage of complications during and after implantation, have made this
procedure highly accessible to the general population.2
A dental implant is an alloplastic biomaterial that is surgically inserted into the jaw bone to
solve functional and/or esthetic problems. Most dental implants today are made from
commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti grade 4) or from titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V ELI (extra low
interstitial). A typical dental implant, as shown in Figure 1, includes the implant body which
is the part of the implant designed to be surgically placed into the bone. Root form implants
are the common implant body form, with a screw design aimed to strongly fix the implant to
the bone. The abutment is the part of the implant that serves to support and/or retain the
suprastructure (i.e., fixed or removable prosthesis)2.
The key factors in enhancing implant primary stability are bone density, surgical protocol,
implant thread type and geometry. Increased primary stability and maintaining the bulk of
bone mineral and collagen material has been shown to accelerate the healing process after
surgery. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve bone bulk during the preparation of an
osteotomy4.
There have been many techniques tried in the past to increase the implant primary stability in
areas of low bone density. A few among them included bi-cortical fixation, under preparation
for the implant bed, stepped osteotomy of the implant bed and the use of osteotomes and
condensers5. Traditionally this has been achieved through under preparation of the implant
site which is achieved by using a one or more size smaller as the last drill than selected
implant diameter, and in an in vitro study, a 10% under preparation of the implant site was
considered sufficient to improve primary stability whereas, additional decrease does not
improve primary stability values in poor bone quality 8,9.Studies on stepped osteotomy of
implant bed, which is another variant of the under preparation method, have reported greater
implant stability in terms of insertion torque than conventional osteotomy in soft bone.
Another approach to increase primary implant stability in poor bone quality is by using
osteotomes to condense and compress bone apically and laterally creating a layer of compact
bone at the implant interface. The osteotome technique, uses hand driven devices and
compresses the surrounding bone by gradual expansion leading to enhanced insertion torque
values5.
The conventional implant site preparation techniques are subtractive in nature that use
successively increasing-diameter drills rotating in a clockwise direction under copious
irrigation to excavate bone and prepare the implant bed.But the imprecise cutting of the
osteotomy drills makes the design elliptical or elongated, which will reduce the torque during
implant placement. This ultimately contributes to poor implant stability. Osteotomies tend to
fracture the bony trabeculae, resulting in long remodeling time and delayed secondary
implant stability. Also, osteotomies prepared in deficient bone or narrow ridges may produce
buccal or lingual dehiscence that necessitates additional bone graft increasing the healing
period and cost.
However, these techniques have presented limitations during surgery. The repeated impacting
of a mallet is required to advance the Summers osteotome, which is a traumatic technique
that may be difficult for the surgeon to control and in some cases can result in fracture, or
patient side effects such as vertigo.
Recently, a new technique to increase the density of osteotomy site has been introduced by
Salah Huwais in 2013 known as Osseo densification (OD) which is a novel, biomechanical,
non-excavation technique. This bone condensation technique makes use of specially designed
burs to increase the density of the bone as they expand in an osteotomy. The procedure is
characterized by low plastic deformation of bone that is created by rolling and sliding contact
using a densifying bur that is fluted such that it densifies the bone with minimal heat
elevation6.
Densifying burs has the advantage to control the tactile and speed of drills. The reason behind
ossedensification concept is that autologous bone contacts through an endosteal device which
accelerate osseointegration because of osteoblasts nucleating on instrumented bone adjacent
to the implant and have increased primary stability because of interlocking between the
device and bone7.
Compared with conventional drilling, OD was reported to result in higher insertion and
removal torque, increased primary and secondary stability, higher bone-to-implant contact
(BIC) and higher bone volume (BV) around implants15, this favorable outcome is possible
because of the drills that have many lands with large negative rake angles which work as a
noncutting edge to expand the implant site and increase the density of the bone. This library
dissertation aims on osseodensification, its techniques, advantages, disadvantages, indications
and contraindications in detail.
Dental implantology has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, with the quest
for enhanced treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction being a constant driving force.
Among the innovative techniques that have emerged, osseodensification has garnered
significant attention as a transformative approach to preparing implant sites and optimizing
osseointegration—the process by which dental implants integrate with the surrounding bone.
This dissertation aims to delve into the concept of osseodensification, exploring its principles,
applications, and potential benefits in dental implantology.
Traditional implant site preparation methods relied on drilling or cutting into the bone to
create space for the implant. While effective, these methods often resulted in bone loss,
compromised stability, and extended healing periods. In contrast, osseodensification
represents a paradigm shift by focusing on bone preservation and augmentation during the
implant placement process.
The core principle of osseodensification lies in the controlled compression and densification
of the bone rather than its removal. This technique utilizes specialized drills or osteotomes
with uniquely designed flutes and non-cutting tips. As these instruments engage with the
bone, they gently compact and densify the surrounding bone, effectively increasing its
density and strength. This enhanced bone quality not only provides a stable foundation for
implant placement but also facilitates faster and more reliable osseointegration.
One of the primary advantages of osseodensification is its ability to preserve the existing
bone structure. By minimizing bone removal, this technique helps maintain the volume and
integrity of the surrounding bone, which is critical for long-term implant success. The
densified bone also offers improved primary stability, reducing the risk of implant failure and
enabling immediate or early loading protocols.
The impact of osseodensification reaches beyond the surgical phase of dental implantology.
Faster healing times and improved bone quality may lead to enhanced patient experiences,
allowing for expedited restoration of oral function and improved overall treatment outcomes.
Additionally, this technique's potential for reduced morbidity, such as decreased post-
operative pain and complications, contributes to the overall patient-centric approach of
modern implantology.
As the field of dental implantology continues to evolve, it is essential for clinicians and
researchers to explore novel techniques and their potential implications. This dissertation
aims to critically evaluate the concept of osseodensification, analysing available evidence,
discussing clinical applications, and highlighting its impact on implant success rates, bone
preservation, and patient satisfaction.
This library dissertation seeks to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and provide
insights into the field of dental implantology. Through a comprehensive examination of the
principles, techniques, and clinical outcomes associated with osseodensification, this library
dissertation strives to shed light on the potential benefits of this innovative approach and its
role in shaping the future of dental implant treatment.
HISTORY
The history of the evolution of dental implants is a rich and fascinating travelogue through
time. Since the beginning of mankind, humans have used dental implants in one form or
another to replace missing teeth. In approximately 2500 BC, the ancient Egyptians tried to
stabilize teeth that were periodontally involved with the use of ligature wire made of gold.
Their manuscripts and texts allude to several interesting references to toothaches. About 500
BC, the Etruscans customized soldered gold bands from animals to restore oral function in
humans; they also fashioned replacements for teeth from oxen bones. At about the same
period, the Phoenicians used gold wire to stabilize teeth that were periodontally involved;
around 300 AD, these innovative peoples used teeth creatively carved out of ivory which
were then stabilized by gold wire to create a fixed bridge. The first evidence of dental
implants is attributed to the Mayan population roughly around 600 AD where they excelled in
utilizing pieces of shells as implants as a replacement for mandibular teeth. Radiographs
taken in the 1970’s of Mayan mandibles show compact bone formation around the implants-
bone that amazingly looks very much like that seen around blade implants! Moreover, around
800 AD, a stone implant was first prepared and placed in the mandible in the early Honduran
cultured8.
In the middle of the 1600’s periodontally compromised teeth were stabilized in Europe with
various substances. From the 1500’s to about the 1800’s, teeth in Europe were collected from
the underprivileged or from cadavers for the use of allotransplantation. During this period,
Dr. John Hunter came on to the scene; for many years he worked with “resurrectionists”-
people who acquired corpses underhandedly through the robbing of graves. By doing so, he
was able to observe and document with great detail the anatomy of the mouth and jaw. In the
1700’s, Dr. Hunter suggested transplanting teeth from one human to another; his experiment
involved the implantation of an incompletely developed tooth into the comb of a rooster. He
observed an extraordinary and astonishing event: the tooth became firmly embedded in the
comb of the rooster and the blood vessels of the rooster grew straight into the pulp of the
tooth. In 1809, J. Maggiolo inserted a gold implant tube into a fresh extraction site. This site
was allowed to heal and then a crown was later added; unfortunately, there was extensive
inflammation of the gingiva which followed the procedure9
Dr. EJ Greenfield, in 1913, placed a “24-gauge hollow latticed cylinder of iridio platinum
soldered with 24-karat gold” as an artificial root to “fit exactly the circular 10 incision made
for it in the jaw-bone of the patient”. In the 1930’s, two brothers, Drs. Alvin and Moses
Strock, experimented with orthopedic screw fixtures made of Vitallium (chromium-cobalt
alloy). They carefully observed how physicians successfully placed implants in the hip bone,
so they implanted them in both humans and dogs to restore individual teeth. The Vitallium
screw provided anchorage and support for replacement of the missing tooth. These brothers
were acknowledged for their work in selecting a biocompatible metal to be used in the human
dentition. The Strock brothers were also thought to be the first to place the first successful
endosteal (in the bone) implant. (Incidentally, Dr. Alvin Strock not only worked with implant
materials, he also established the use of antibiotics for shipboard treatment of periodontal
infections like trench mouth). In 1938, Dr. P.B. Adams patented a cylindrical endosseous
implant that was threaded both internally and externally; it had a smooth gingival collar and a
healing cap. A post-type endosseous implant was developed by Formiggini (“Father of
Modern Implantology”) and Zepponi in the 1940’s. The spiral stainless-steel design of the
implant allowed bone to grow into the metal. This spiral implant was made by constructing a
stainless-steel wire on itself. Dr. Perron Andres from Spain modified Formiggini’s spiral
design to include a solid shaft in the construction10
Dr. Raphael Chercheve from France added to the spiral design by creating burs to ease the
insertion of the implant for a best fit. As the progression of implant discovery continued, the
subperiosteal (on the bone) implant was developed in the 1940’s by Dahl in Sweden. Dahl’s
original implant design involved flat abutments and screws which lay over the crest of the
alveolar ridge. Dahl’s work was carried on by Gershkoff and Goldberg as well as Weinberg
in the United States from 1947-1948. Gershkoff and Goldberg produced a cobalt-chromium-
molybdenum implant with an extension of Dahl’s design to include the external oblique
ridge11. The subperiosteal implant design was further researched and elaborated upon by
Lew, Bausch, and Berman in 1950. Lew utilized a direct impression method which used
fewer supports over the ridge crest.
Various implant designs expanded in the 1960’s. Dr. Cherchieve crafted a double helical
spiral implant; it was made of cobalt and chromium. Many of these were screw shaped and in
a single piece. The spiral shaft was further enhanced during this decade by Dr. Giordano
Muratori by the addition of internal threading to the shaft of the implant. The basic spiral
design was turned into a flat plate with various configurations by Dr. Leonard Linkow in
1963.12 In 1967, there were two variations of the blade implant that were introduced by
Linkow, making it possible to place it in either the maxilla or the mandible. Linkow
developed the Ventplant implant. The blade implant is now recognized as an endosseous
implant. Further on, Dr. Sandhaus in the mid-60’s developed a crystallized bone screw whose
composition was mainly that of aluminum.13
As the 1960’s came to a close and the 1970’s began, doctors Roberts and Roberts began the
development of the Ramus Blade endosseous implant. This implant was made of surgical
grade stainless steel; according to them, it was to serve as a “synthetic third molar”. They also
developed the ramus frame implant which received its stability by anchoring in the ramus
bilaterally as well as in the symphysis area. The 1970’s brought in the placement of vitreous
carbon implants by Grenoble. Weiss and Judy made popular the use of intramucosal inserts
during this time; the inserts helped in the retention of removable maxillary prostheses. In
1975, an implant device placed through a submental incision and attached to the mandible
was introduced by Dr. Small; this was known as the first transosteal implant called the
mandibular staple implant. This would help those individuals who had an edentulous
mandible that was atrophic in nature14
Two other ground-breaking persons of modern implantology were Dr. Schroder and Dr.
Straumann of Switzerland. They experimented with metals utilized in orthopedic surgery to
help fabricate dental implants. Beginning in the middle of the 1980’s, the customary implant
used by many dental clinicians was the endosseous root-form implant. The major factors that
determined which endosseous implant system was chosen over another included the design,
the surface roughness, prosthetic considerations, ease of insertion into the bone, costs and
how successful they were over a period of time. Dr. Tatum introduced the omni-R implant in
the early 1980’s; it had horizontal fins made up of titanium alloy. Dr. Niznick introduced the
Core-Vent implant in the early part of the 1980’s. It was a hollow basket implant with a
threaded piece in it which helped to engage the bone; he also manufactured the Screw-Vent
implant which had a hydroxyapatite coating on it. This surface coating was to allow for more
immediate adaptation of the bone to the implant surface. The Core-Vent company also
designed the Swede-Vent implant which used an external hexagonal interface to hold the
abutment. Dr. Niznick continued to develop other systems including the Bio-Vent and the
Micro-Vent17
Soon after, Dr. Driskell in the 1980’s introduced the Stryker “root form” endosseous implant;
there are two versions of this-one made with a titanium alloy and another coated with
hydroxyl apatite18. The IMZ implant which was introduced by Dr. Kirsch towards the end of
the 1970’s, was widely used in many countries in the 1980’. The IMZ implant had some
distinctive features; it had a titanium surface spray to increase interface surface area and it
also had an intra-mobile element in it to duplicate the mobility of natural teeth. The Calcitek
Corporation in the early 1980’s started making a synthetic polycrystalline ceramic hydroxyl
apatite called calcite. In 1985 it produced the Integral Implant System. The ITI implant
system introduced in 1985 by the Straumann Company has exclusive plasma sprayed
cylinders and screws which are designed to be placed in a one-stage operation. The most
recent dental implant innovations involve the use fluoride, antibiotics, growth factors and
laminin.
Over the course of time to improve the condition of bone at implant sites various surgical
techniques has been introduced to preserve the remaining volume of bone and increase its
density, chiefly in low density bone areas. Summers RB in 1994 used bone condensation
procedure with osteotomes which is different surgical approach to enhance density of bone
via mechanical action of cylindrical instruments alongside the osteotomic walls. This method
comprises a small pilot hole along the compression of osseous tissue with implant shaped
instrument or spreader apically or laterally. Many times, this treatment creates fracture of
trabeculae with debris which leads to hindrance of osseointegration process
Bone quantity of jawbone is classified into five groups (from minimal to severe, A–E), based
on residual jaw shape and different rates of bone resorption following tooth extraction.
Fig 3: Bone
quantity classification23
The classification system presented by Lekholm & Zarb had several reasons23 24;
(1) It is well known
(2) It describes jawbone tissue from both qualitative and quantitative aspects and
(3) It results indicate a good correlation with bone mineral content
D3 bone: is composed of thinner porous cortical bone on the crest and fine trabecular bone
with in the ridge. The trabeculae are approximately 40%to60% weaker than those in D2 bone.
It is found most often in the anterior maxilla and posterior regions of the mouth in either arch.
The D3 anterior maxilla is usually of less width than its mandibular D3 counterpart. The D3
bone is not only 50% weaker than D2 bone, BIC is also less favorable in D3 bone. The
additive factors can increase the risk of implant failure24,26.
D4 bone: has very little density and little or no cortical crestal bone. It is the opposite
spectrum of D1 (dense cortical bone). The most common locations for D4 are the posterior
region of the maxilla. It is rarely observed in mandible. The bone trabeculae may be up to 10
times weaker than the cortical bone of D1. After initial loading, BIC is often less than 25%.
Bone trabeculae are sparse and, as a result, initial fixation of any implant design presents a
surgical challenge.
The reverse torque test (RTT), proposed by Roberts et al and developed by Johansson and
Albrektsson, measures the “critical” torque threshold where bone- implant contact (BIC) was
destroyed. This indirectly provides information on the degree of BIC in a given implant. It is
used to assess the secondary stability of the implant. Implants that rotate when reverse torque
is applied indicate that BIC could be destroyed. Further, it cannot quantify the degree of
osseointegration as threshold limits vary among patients, implant material, bone quality and
quantity. The studies showed, the stress of the applied torque may in itself be responsible for
the failure. It also does not measure lateral stability that is a useful indicator for successful
treatment outcome
c. Modal analysis
Theoretical Modal Analysis
1. Finite element method
Experimental Modal Analysis
1. Percussion test
2. Impact hammer method (Periotest, Siemens, Bensheim, Germany; Dental Mobility
Checker, J. Morita, Suita, Japan)
3. RFA (Osstell, Integration Diagnostics, Göteborg, Sweden; Implomate, Bio Tech
One, Taipei, Taiwan)
4. Others (pulsed oscillation waveform by Kaneko)
Modal Analysis.
Modal analysis measures the natural frequency or displacement signal of a system in
resonance, which is initiated by external steady-state waves or a transient impulse force.
Modal analysis, in other words, is a vibration analysis. Modal analysis can be performed in 2
models: theoretical and experimental. Two or 3-dimensional finite element modeling (FEM)
is an example of computer-simulated theoretical modal analysis. Experimental or dynamic
modal analysis, on the other hand, measures structural changes and dynamic characteristics
(e.g., natural characteristic frequency, characteristic mode, and attenuation) of a system that
is excited in an in vitro model via vibration testing (e.g., impactor or hammer). This in vitro
approach provides a more reliable assessment of an object than a theoretical model.
1. Percussion test.
A percussion test is one of the simplest methods that can be used to estimate the level of
osseointegration. This test is based upon vibrational acoustic science and impactresponse
theory. A clinical judgment on osseointegration is made based on the sound heard upon
percussion with a metallic instrument. A clearly ringing “crystal” sound indicates successful
osseointegration, whereas a “dull” sound may indicate no osseointegration. However, this
method heavily relies on the clinician’s experience level and subjective belief. Therefore, it
cannot be used experimentally as a standardized testing method.
Readings Interpretation
Fig 9: Principle of the Osstell Mentor™. Magnetic peg (smart peg™) works like a
tuning fork and Osstell ISQ™
METHODE ADVANTAGES DISSADVANTAGES
Osseointegration
Osseointegration is defined as a direct structural and functional connection between ordered,
living bone and the surface of a load carrying implant. Osseointegration is crucial for implant
stability, which determines the long-term success of dental implants.
The process of osseointegration leads to bone formation on the implant surface and
contributes to implant secondary stability between bone and dental implant. Osseointegration
is the basis of a successful endosseous implant. The process itself is quite complex and there
are many factors that influence the formation and maintenance of bone at the implantsurface.
Factors affecting osseointegration.
In 1981, Albrektsson et al. demonstrated the six major parameters of osseointegration,
mainly:
the implant material, the implant surface, the implant design, the condition of the bone at the
host bed, the surgical technique and the loading conditions. However, as research revealed
more on the role of these factors, it is more useful to categorize them by their determinants
into the following factors:
1. Implant related factors: The biocompatibility of the material, the topography, the
composition, the coating of the surface, the shape, the design of the implant and the
dimensions of the fixture.
2. Host bed factors: The bone volume, density and vascularity.
3. Surgical factors: Achieving primary stability, mechanical trauma, thermal trauma or
infection.
4. Biomechanical factors: Loading conditions.
5. Patient related factors: Systemic disease, systemic medication, radiotherapy and
parafunctional habits. Primary stability of the implant is, however, of utmost importance as it
is related to the parameters of all five categories. It is influenced by the shape and design of
the implant, the quality and quantity of the bone, the surgical technique and skills of the
surgeon, whilst its maintenance is depended on the loading conditions, the presence of
parafunctional habits and the healing capacity of the host. The absence of movement
immediately after implant insertion is one of the most important factors affecting implant
osseointegration118. Different surgeons have different preparation protocols, depending on
the patient bone densities. Among the surgical factors that influence osseointegration, implant
bed preparation is of critical importance. Drilling the implant bed not only causes mechanical
damage to the bone but also
increases the temperature of the bone directly, adjacent to the implant surface.
Bone remodeling around dental implants
Shortly after dental implant placement, a sequence of immuno- inflammatory responses,
followed by angiogenic and osteogenic events, takes place. This sequence is primarily
influenced by the implant surface characteristics, including surface topography, chemistry
and material composition, which either facilitate or prevent the adsorption of proteins onto
the implant surface.
Within the first 5 days, thrombin and fibrinogen adsorb to the implant surface and play a key
role in the early homeostasis as the release of cytokines and growth factors stimulates future
collagen matrix deposition around the titanium oxide layer of the implant, leading to newly
formed woven bone.
In about 8 to 12 weeks, lamellar bone initiates the biological stability, namely
osseointegration.
Twelve weeks afterwards, as with natural dentition, implants are subject to soft and hard
tissue remodeling where the average biologic width around dental implants has been reported
at approximately 3.5 mm.
The process of osseointegration continues to increase the bone mineral density close to the
implant body for up to 2 years. A steady state of osseointegration is achieved where there is
nearly equal gain and loss of minerals, without substantial change in volumetric bone mass.
Osseodensification
Osseodensification (OD) is a new method of biomechanical bone preparation performed for
dental implant placement. The procedure is characterized by low plastic deformation of bone
that is created by rolling and sliding contact using a densifying bur that is fluted such that it
densifies the bone with minimal heat elevation. OD, a bone nonextraction technique, was
developed by Salah Huwais in 2013. For this purpose, Huwais invented specially designed
densifying burs called Densah™ burs that has many lands with a large negative rake angle,
which work as noncutting edges to increase the density of the bone as they expand an
osteotomy. These densifying burs have four or more lands and flutes that smoothly compact
the bone. Densifying burs are novel surgical devices as they are designed to have a cutting
chisel edge and a tapered shank, so as they enter deeper into the osteotomy, they have a
progressively increasing diameter that controls the expansion process. These burs are used
with a standard surgical engine and can densify bone by rotating in the noncutting direction
(counterclockwise at 800–1,200 rotations per minute) or drill bone by rotating in the cutting
direction (clockwise at 800–1,200 rotations per minute).
Rationale of Osseodensification
The rationale for the utilization of this process is that densification of the bone that will
immediately be in contact to the endosteal device will not only result in higher degrees of
primary stability due to physical interlocking (higher degrees of contact) between the bone
and
the device, but also in faster new bone growth formation due to osteoblasts nucleating on
instrumented bone that is in close proximity with the implant. This is performed in an attempt
to develop a condensed autograft surrounding the implant, making it valuable in clinical
settings where there is an anatomic paucity of bone126. Unlike traditional drilling protocols
(subtractive drilling), OD increases primary stability due to densification of the drilled
osteotomy site walls centrifugally by means of non- subtractive drilling. Gaspar et al. stated
that the bone expansion capacity of OD for predictable ridge expansion has been validated
with enhanced primary stability and higher insertion torque values. This may be clinically
relevant in minimizing implant dehiscence’s or fenestrations. OD can also be used
for crestal sinus lift in a simple, safe and predictable way with reduced morbidity.
Unique Characteristics
Regular twist drills or straight fluted drills have 2-4 lands to guide them through the
osteotomy.
Densah® Burs are designed with 4 or more lands, which precisely guide them through bone.
More lands mean less potential chatter. During Osseodensification, Densah® Burs produce a
controlled bone plastic deformation, which allows the expansion of a cylindrical osteotomy
without excavating any bone tissue.
1. Modes
Densah® Burs progressively increase in diameter throughout the surgical procedure and are
designed to be used with standard surgical engines, to preserve and compact bone (800-1500
rpm) in a counterclockwise direction (Densifying Mode), and to precisely cut bone if needed
(800-1500 rpm) in a clockwise direction (Cutting Mode).
Fig 12: Dual use capability of densifying bur- a) Densifying mode- creates
Osseodensification; b) Cutting mode-precisely cuts bone.
1. Motion
The Densah® Burs are always to be used with copious irrigation in a Bouncing- Pumping
motion (vertical pressure to advance the drill into the osteotomy, then a minor pulls out for
pressure relief, then advance with vertical pressure again and so on in an in/out fashion). The
duration and number of bouncing-pumping episodes (in/out) are usually dictated by bone
density and desired length.
Fig 13: Bouncing- Pumping motion of Densah® Burs
Armamentarium:
The Densah Bur kit includes 12 burs that are designed to create osteotomies for all major
dental implants in the market (Figure 10). Each Densah Bur is marked with depth markings
from 8-20 mm. They are designed to be used in a consecutive increasing order to achieve the
desired osteotomy diameter
Advantages of osseodensification131
1. It is a unique, highly controllable, fast and efficient bone preservation osteotomy
preparation technique which results in increased primary stability, BMD and percentage of
bone at the implant surface leading to faster wound healing and enhanced Osseointegration.
2. Healing process can be accelerated due to bone matrix, cells and biochemicals maintained
and autografted along the osteotomy surface site.
3. By OD technique, wider implant diameter can be inserted in narrow ridges without
creating bone dehiscence or fenestration.
4. Increased insertion and removal torque values have been reported with dental implants
placed into Osseodensified osteotomies.
5. The dual use capability of densifying bur in both cutting and noncutting direction may
enable the clinician to autograft the maxillary sinus and expands any ridge in maxilla and
mandible.
6. Huwais demonstrated that OD helped ridge expansion while maintaining alveolar ridge
integrity, thereby allowing implant placement in autogenous bone. OD helped in preserving
bone bulk and shortened the waiting period to restorative phase108.
7. Compaction auto grafting: Osseodensification maintains the bulk of bone by
condensation and compaction which results in higher bone to implant contact.
8. Enhances bone density: Osseodensification burs allow preservation of bone and
condensation through compaction autografting, thereby increasing the peri- implant bone
density, and the implant mechanical stability.
9. Residual ridge expansion: Studies shown that narrow bone expands along with
Osseodensification thus facilitating for placement of implants with larger diameter and also
avoiding fenestration and dehiscence.
10. Increase in Implant Stability: Huwais S concluded that, the densahTM bur technology
facilitates ridge expansion with maintained alveolar ridge. He also concluded that, despite
compromised bone anatomy, Osseodensification preserved bone bulk and promoted a shorter
waiting period to the restoration.
11. Increase in residual strain: The bouncing motion helps to create a rate dependent stress
to produce a rate dependent strain, and allows saline irrigation to gently pressurize the bone
walls. These together facilitate increased bone plasticity and bone expansion.
Disadvantages of Osseodensification
Case selection for using OD burs in counterclockwise mode is important as the procedure is
not recommended in dense bone (D1, D2) and more suitable for soft bone.
_ This can be explained by the fact that soft bone has wider marrow spaces between the bone
trabeculae, allowing for bone compaction, rather than the compact bone, leading to lateral
compression that exceeds the viscoelastic limit of the thick and dense bone trabeculae, with
subsequent damage and a weaker bone implant interface143. During bone compaction and
implant loading under high torque, bone is subject to a microdamage threshold. If the bone's
micro-damage threshold is exceeded, the bone remodeling cycle may require an additional 3
months or more to repair these damaged areas. This is particularly important in relation to
OD since over-compression may also unintentionally cause bone necrosis.
Indications
_ It facilitates lateral ridge expansion- Ridge with less than 3 mm of width.
_ It facilitates vertical ridge expansion in maxillary sinus.
Contraindications
_ Osseodensification does not work with cortical bone as cortical bone is a non- dynamic
tissue which lacks plasticity. Densification of xenografts should be avoided because they
behave biomechanically different than the bone tissue, as they have only inorganic content
and they just provide the bulk without any viscoelasticity.
_ Patients with various systemic disorders such as compromised immune system, bleeding
disorders and titanium allergy should be excluded.
Bur design Taper design with more than four Regular twist drills have only two
lands to four lands to guide them
and flutes and through the osteotomy
a tip with flute/s to guide through
the
osteotomy and
eliminates potential chatter.
Osteotomy Creates precise circumferential May not always produce a precise
osteotomy Circumferential osteotomy. May
Diameter of osteotomy is 0.5mm become elongated and elliptical
smaller than traditional drilling due to chatter of the drills
osteotomy.
Heat generation Heat generation is reduced with Heat generation during rotary
copious cutting
amount of saline external is a crucial
irrigation factor influencing the development
along with a bouncing-pumping of
osseointegration.
motion of bur
Implant Higher (Compared to traditional Less (compared to
placement drilling Osseodensification
Insertion techniques) technique)
torque Facilitates expansion of narrow Larger diameter implant placement
Removal ridges in may result in
torque width. bone dehiscence or fenestration
% Bone Allows larger diameter implant
volume placement without creating bone
In narrow dehiscence or fenestration
ridges
Table 3: Difference between Osseodensification technique and traditional drilling
technique130.
Limitations130
1. Osseodensification (OD) does not work with cortical bone as cortical bone lacks plasticity.
2. Prevent the densification of xenografts.
Healing of the osteotomy by Osseodensification technique80
The most specific feature of the healing pattern is observed at the level of coronal area where,
the bone presented a granular aspect. In these zones, the bone trabeculae show outer side
lamellar bone layers and the specific granular layer in the inner side. The percentage of bone
surface lined by osteoid bands in the coronal area is much higher than that found in other
areas of the implants. The increase of bone density is particularly evident in the most coronal
implant region. Active bone remodeling is found to be directed more toward bone apposition
and bone density increase than toward bone resorption. This suggests that, in the long run, the
bone could still increase its density.
CONCLUSION
Preservation of bone bulk during implant osteotomy preparation is crucial for securing
primary implant stability, which is highly associated with successful osseointegration and
long- term successful clinical outcome. Most of the techniques proposed for implant
osteotomy site preparation involve excavation and removal of bone. Recently, a unique; fast
and efficient; bone preserving; biomechanical osteotomy preparation technique called
Osseodensification has been introduced, which enhances implant stability. The
Osseodensification technique reduces bone sacrifice that appears unavoidable with
conventional drilling procedures and prevents fracturing of trabeculae causing a delayed bone
growth, as reported with the osteotome technique. The concept of Osseodensification has
changed the paradigm of implant site preparation and is found to be beneficial in creating a
stronger expanded osteotomy for implant placement, through compaction and autografting
the surrounding bone particularly in areas with low- density bone. The Osseodensification
technique is shown to increase the primary stability, the bone mineral density, and the
percentage of bone at the implant surface.
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