Management of a fractured, nonremovable implant: a clinical report with a 12-month follow-up.

Implant failures could be due to biological or mechanical factors, which also include fracture of the fixture. The present report presents a case of a single fractured implant placed in the left mandibular molar region. Since the residual portion of the fixture was perfectly osseointegrated with no signs of peri-implantitis, and in direct contact with the roof of the inferior alveolar nerve canal, it was decided to treat the patient with a short implant positioned on top of the fractured, and not removing the fractured implant. Clinical and radiographical follow-up was performed for 12 months after loading. Periimplant soft tissues healing and implant osseointegration were achieved 6 months after implant placement; at the end of the follow-up a periimplant bone remodeling of 0.3 mm was observed. In conclusion, short implants could be taken into consideration as a treatment option in cases of nonremovable implants and sufficient residual bone height.