provisional implant
A temporary mini-implant or standard implant used during the transitional phase of treatment to support a provisional prosthesis while definitive implants heal.
Full Definition
A provisional implant (also called a transitional implant or mini-implant in certain contexts) is placed to provide interim anchorage for a temporary prosthesis during the osseointegration period of definitive implants. They are typically smaller in diameter than definitive implants and are removed once final restorations are fitted. The term should not be confused with 'provisional restoration', which refers to the temporary prosthesis itself rather than the implant body. Editors should be precise: 'provisional implant' refers to the fixture; 'provisional restoration' or 'interim prosthesis' refers to the overlying prosthetic structure.
Usage
Usage note: Do not confuse with 'provisional restoration'. The implant is the titanium fixture; the restoration is the prosthetic unit on top of it. Use 'provisional implant' rather than 'temporary implant' in formal clinical writing.
In Context
- "Four provisional implants were placed in the anterior mandible to retain the patient's interim denture during the six-month healing phase." — Full-arch rehabilitation case study
- "The text conflated 'provisional implant' with 'provisional crown'; the editor inserted a clarifying parenthetical to distinguish the two." — Manuscript editing note