Osseointegrated pure titanium implants of defined finish and geometry have been used clinically as abutments for dental prostheses for more than 17 years. During this period a successive refinement of the method’s technical design aspects took place. However, the biochemical rationale for this unique implant system remains unchanged. The purpose of this article is to present a summary of the clinical procedures used for the anchorage of tooth root analogues or fixtures.

The clinical sequences will be considered as comprising four major states: (1) preoperative analysis, (2) surgical procedures, (3)prosthetic procedures, and (4) follow-up controls. (J Prosthet Dent July – 1983)