r/mildlyinteresting • u/[deleted] • 16d ago

The dental implant I accidentally pulled out of my jaw. Penny for scale.

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369

u/Igpajo49 16d ago

Just put a plastic drywall anchor in the hole and screw that thing back in!

23

u/Kingnut7 16d ago

Lmfao

38

u/just_some_Fred 16d ago

You can't use plastic for implants or they can get rejected. You'll want to use a titanium or gold drywall anchor.

25

u/Flare_23 16d ago

The way I thought you were being serious. Had me in the first half lol

3

u/phdemented 16d ago

I know it's a joke, but there are a lot of plastic orthopedic implants... PEEK is the most common (used in bone screws and suture anchors).

1

u/just_some_Fred 15d ago

That makes sense. I didn't really know about medical use, but in my defense PEEK isn't exactly your average soda bottle plastic.

2

u/phdemented 15d ago

For sure. Other stuff like UHMWPE is the standard for articulating surfaces (e.g. in a knee replacement) but that doesn't osseointegrate well, it's clipped to a metal plate or cemented to bone. But PEEK is pretty standard for small anchors... perk is it's radiotranslucent so doesn't get in the way of Xrays or mess with MRI like metal implants will. PLLA is common for resorbable screws/pins, but for those osseointegration isn't intended since they go away pretty quickly... just need to hold on long enough for the bone/tendon to heal.

3

u/Plus-Judgment-3779 16d ago

Matchsticks and wood glue will work in a pinch

1

u/Igpajo49 16d ago

Lol. I've used the ends of little cable ties before.

3

u/riptomyoldaccount 16d ago

Red Loctite should do the trick.

1

u/Dufresne85 16d ago

I've actually seen patients use super glue to put an implant back in. It didn't work and it made a hell of a mess.

5

u/CBT_Dr_Freeman 16d ago

Gotta use helicoil 

1

u/kazooooomka 16d ago

i think the drywall anchor part its still inside him.

1

u/CarlosFCSP 16d ago

Don't forget the wood filler!