Patent ID: 8500449

Claim:
A method for implanting a dental implant assembly comprising the steps of making an incision into a gingival region of a patient, the gingival region having a gum-line; producing a hole in a jawbone of the patient; implanting a monolithic dental implant within the hole, wherein said monolithic dental implant is comprised of an abutment section and a base section monolithically joined to one another, wherein: (a) said abutment section has a length of from about 1.5 to about 10 millimeters, the implanting step occurring such that a portion of the abutment length extends above the gum-line; (b) said base section has a length of from about 3 to about 50 millimeters; and (c) said base section is threaded; machining the abutment section of the dental implant after it has been implanted within the hole such that a portion of the abutment section is removed, thereby altering its geometry; and attaching a dental prosthesis directly to the altered abutment section.