DENTAL IMPLANT ABUTMENTS: Crafting the Connection

Dental implants have been widely accepted as a predictable and reliable tool for dental restoration. Clinical research in oral implantology has led to advancements in the biomechanical aspects of implants, implant surface features and implant componentry thus widening the applications of implant dentistry from restoration of a single tooth to multiple missing teeth with predictable success. A dental implant abutment is formally defined as -that portion of a dental implant that serves to support and/or retain a prosthesis. Studying the implant-abutment connection is crucial, as it primarily determines the strength and stability of an implant-supported restoration, which, in turn, affects prosthetic stability. This book outlines the evolution of various implant-abutment connections from the traditional external hexagon to advanced internal designs in addition to enlightening the failure aspects which led to the current advancements in designs and fabrication techniques.