Straumann TLX
TLX is Straumann's attempt to have it both ways: the tapered shape that grips well enough to place an implant into a fresh extraction socket, combined with the tissue-level design the company has argued for since the 1970s.
At a glance
- Diameters
- ∅ 3.75, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 mm
- Lengths
- 6–18 mm (3.75 & 4.5 mm); 6–12 mm (5.5 & 6.5 mm)
- Prosthetic platforms
- NT (narrow), RT (regular), WT (wide)
- Neck options
- Standard (S) and Standard Plus (SP)
- Drilling
- VeloDrill, shared with BLX
- Typical use
- Immediate placement and loading protocols
What TLX actually is
An implant placed into the socket of a tooth removed the same day has nothing pre-shaped to sit in. The socket is the wrong shape, and the implant must wedge itself into whatever bone surrounds it. A tapered implant, wider at the top, narrower at the tip, achieves that far better than a parallel-sided one, which is why almost every manufacturer now offers tapered implants for immediate cases.
What makes TLX unusual is that Straumann married the tapered body to a tissue-level design, where the joint between implant and abutment sits above the bone in the gum rather than at the bone crest. Most competitors' immediate-placement implants are bone level. Straumann's own literature argues the tissue-level approach removes a second surgical step, avoids a microgap at bone level, and is associated with lower marginal bone loss.
Published dimensions
| Diameter | Available lengths | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ∅ 3.75 mm | 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 mm | Narrowest option; widest length range |
| ∅ 4.5 mm | 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 mm | The common workhorse diameter |
| ∅ 5.5 mm | 6, 8, 10, 12 mm | Wide; longer lengths not offered |
| ∅ 6.5 mm | 6, 8, 10, 12 mm | Widest; typically molar sites |
The pattern in that final column is worth noticing. Wide implants are not made in long lengths, because a 6.5 mm implant at 18 mm long would need a volume of bone that almost nobody has. Width and length trade against each other, and your available bone decides which combination is possible.
Decoding NT, RT and WT
TLX components are laser-marked NTRT or WTNarrow, Regular and Wide TorcFit, and carry one, two or three dots respectively. Straumann's documentation is emphatic that these do not mix: no WT abutment on an NT or RT implant, no NT abutment on RT or WT, and so on.
This is not a detail for your dentist alone. If you need a new crown in fifteen years, the platform code determines which parts fit. Ask for it in writing alongside the reference number.
Where TLX may not be the right choice
The tissue-level design puts a polished metal collar just below and at the gum line. Where gum tissue is thin, or at the front of the mouth where the margin may show, that collar can become visible as a grey line if the gum recedes at all. This is the standard reason a dentist chooses a bone-level implant such as BLX for a front tooth instead. If TLX is being proposed for a visible tooth, it is entirely reasonable to ask why, and what the plan is if the gum recedes.
Questions worth asking your dentist
- Why TLX rather than BLX for this particular tooth?
- Which diameter and length are you planning, and what is my bone volume there?
- Which platform will I have, NT, RT or WT?
- Is this the Standard or Standard Plus neck, and why?
- If this is a visible tooth, what happens if my gum recedes around the collar?
- Will you record the platform, diameter, length and reference number in writing?
Related systems
Straumann BLX
The bone-level counterpart, sharing the TorcFit connection and drill set.
Straumann Tissue Level
The original parallel-walled tissue-level line.
References
- Straumann. TLX Implant System, System Overview. Manufacturer document CALIT-1432.
- Straumann. TLX Implant System. Straumann Canada product page, straumann.com/ca/en.
- Straumann. Compared to a BL system, what are the advantages of a TL system? Document NAMLIT.1431.
- Vouros ID, et al. Systematic assessment of clinical outcomes in bone-level and tissue-level endosseous dental implants. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2012;27(6):1359–74.
Specifications compiled from Straumann's publicly available product literature and Canadian product pages. Manufacturer performance claims are identified as such. DentalImplantInfo.ca is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Straumann. Straumann, Roxolid, SLActive, SLA, TLX, BLX, TorcFit, VeloDrill, Optiloc and ZAGA are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification and educational purposes.