A dental implant for anchoring in bone, wherein said bone comprises an
outer cortical bone section and an inner cancellous bone section is made
of a body of resorbable material such as coral, having a portion capable
of being wedged into the cancellous bone. The body of coral has a
generally cylindrical root portion, an emergent portion capable of being
wedged into said outer cortical bone section, and a transgingival coronal
portion being sized to extend beyond said emergent portion to end beyond a
gingival layer, and an abutment portion and a head for retention of said
prosthetic device at the other end, wherein said abutment portion meets
said coronal portion at an interface beyond said gingival layer. The body
of coral is substantially electroplated with a suitable plating material
such as gold. At least some of the root portion is absent said plating
material so as to allow the bone to enter the substantially plated body of
coral to resorb and replace at least some of the coral.
