An endosteal horizontally placed non-crestal dental implant system including at least one dental implant having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal architecture, and a helical thread extending along the outside region between the proximal end and the distal end. The one or more implants are configured to be implanted horizontally or near horizontally by way of a non-crestal approach, into a mandible or maxilla and to engage with bone tissue. The system also includes at least one dental implant abutment having a proximal end for attaching to the said dental implant and a distal end configured for the attachment of a dental prosthesis. A method of diagnosis and treatment of edentulism using the endosteal horizontally placed non-crestal dental implant system is also recited.

Artificial salivary gland devices and assemblies are provided. The present disclosure provides artificial salivary pump/gland devices and assemblies, and related methods of use. One embodiment utilizes the interstitial/marrow fluid reservoir within the underlying mandibular or maxillary bone as a source for replacement saliva. The salivary pump/assembly, which is implantable in the mandibular or maxillary bone as a dental implant and driven by incidental tooth contact and masticatory forces, harvests interstitial/marrow fluid and treats it via semi-permeable membrane technology and soluble particles as a continuously available saliva replacement. Masticatory forces and tooth contact power the pump to both harvest interstitial/marrow fluid and drive flow through a bed of ion-exchange resins and/or soluble particles to adjust fluid chemistry providing a continuously available saliva-like solution. Exemplary devices and assemblies can also be utilized to introduce beneficial bacteria into the oral cavity and/or be utilized as a delivery system for drugs/therapeutic agents.

A dental membrane that is used with a patient having insufficient bone at a surgical site during a ridge augmentation. The dental membrane includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is cortical bone or formed from artificial bone materials to have characteristics of cortical bone. The second layer is cancellous bone or formed from artificial bone materials to have characteristics of cancellous bone.