Platform switching

BONElock® Dental Implant System

In a two-part implant system, the transfer (micro gap) between the implant head and the abutment is placed away from the outer edge more to the inside by means of platform switching. The biological width of approx. 2.0 – 2.5 mm should therefore not reach downwards purely vertically, but be deflected to the inside and horizontally by the size of the offset of the abutment on the implant interface. From a clinical perspective a more stable crestal bone level with less remodelling is hoped for. Currently, numerous studies on platform switching are being carried out at almost all renowned implant manufacturers. All BONElock® Dental Implants have the same internal geometry which offers the chance of “platform switching”. Various prosthetic components are available for all indications. (Fig. 1). On the one side, this allows for a homogeneous, stable implant neck without indentations, and on the other side, the option of using abutments of different diameters (platform switching) (Fig. 2).

In contrast to other implant systems, the BONElock® Dental Implant System offers the following benefits in platform switching:

  • “Consequent platform switching”: All prosthetic components of a specific diameter fit on the implants of all other diameters. I.e. sealing screws, healing caps, impression copings, abutments and other prosthetic components for e.g. the diameter 4.3 mm can be used on a Ø 5 mm implant
  • No adapters or additional components are required
  • With the ZENO® Tec system, individual healing abutments or abutments can also be produced in the sense of platform switching, without requiring special components
 

The table shows that generally all combinations fit and are possible, however, platform switching with the aforementioned clinical result is only the case in the combinations with +.

 
  Implant Ø 3,5 mm Implant Ø 4,3 mm Implant Ø 5,0 mm
Abutment Ø 3.5 mm 0 + +
Abutment Ø 4.3 mm 0 +
Abutment Ø 5.0 mm 0
 

Table description

  • 0 result: no horizontal offset, abutment and implant have the same diameter.
  • – result: “Negative” platform switching; the abutment protrudes horizontally, as its diameter is larger than that of the implant. Generally, however, the components can be combined this way.
  • + result: “Positive” or true platform switching; the diameter of the abutment is smaller than that of the implant.
BONElock® Dental Implant System platformswitching
BONElock® Dental Implant System platformswitching