Glossary

A hollow basket implant, also called a hollow cylinder implant system, was created in the late 1970s at the Straumann Institute in Waldenberg, Switzerland. Its design differs greatly from a traditional screw implant in that the implant hardware is not solid but rather crafted to be hollow, with small holes or perforations throughout the implant. The hollow basket implant design allows for almost double the contact with bone compared to a solid cylinder implant, minimizing bone destruction and promoting the fusion of bone to implant, also known as osseointegration. The design also minimizes stress to the implant when during vertical loading. The perforations in the cylinder allow for bone to grow through the implant and fill the hollow spaces, versus simply adhering to the outside of a textured solid implant screw. This provides added stability and permanency. Typically, hollow basket implants are created with a commercially pure titanium metal or titanium alloy to promote osseointegration.

The basic definition of a host response is the reaction of living tissue to the presence of a foreign material. In the broadest sense, the term “host response” can be used to describe any bodily response to an injury, surgical procedure, or implant. Within the field of dental implantology, the term host response is used to indicate the response of the patient’s bone and soft tissue to a dental implant. Ideally, the host response will be a positive one and the bone will begin to fuse to the implant, also known as osseointegration. The implant will remain stable with minimal swelling and no infection. However, in some cases, the host response is less desirable and results in implant failure. Osseointegration may not occur, the implant hardware may be rejected, or an infection may develop. Thoroughly evaluating a patient and selecting the right hardware and procedure for their needs can help ensure a positive host response.