Instruments for Bone Expansion: Threaded Expanders

Cesar Luchetti
Department of Implant Dentistry. National University of La Plata. Argentina

Threaded expanders are another group of instruments for bone expansion. They work by rotation, which differentiate them from the osteotomes, which work by impactation. 

Threaded expanders have an aggressive conical shape and penetrate the bone easily. The principal advantage is that they are less traumatic to the patient and that they can be used in the lower jaw. The rotation movement can be done with a wheel inserted in the back part of the expander, or if more resistance is present, with a racket wrench.

The principal disadvantage is that is easier to loose the direction of the preparation compared to the osteotomes. Anyway, in both cases an adequate training is important.

In most usual cases, where the expansion needed is not so important, the expanders can be work well. In more extreme cases, is usually necessary to split the ridge first and the make the expansion.

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