Implant superstructures
Implant superstructures
Implants can basically be used in the same manner as natural teeth for supporting all types of dental restorations (single crowns, bridges, fixed-removable restorations, overdentures). A respective restoration is called a superstructure. It can be designed as removable, fixed/removable or only fixed.
Full upper and lower dentures (fitting surface with ball sockets)
A superstructure can be purely implant-supported or supported both on teeth and implants. Particularly with bridges the term used is hybrid or tooth/implant-borne.
Implant-borne metal-ceramic crowns
Cemented superstructures are differentiated between provisional (temporary), definitive (permanent) and semi-permanent cementation. The latter should enable secure retention and at the same time removal of the superstructure by the dentist, if necessary. This is referred to as an operator-removable (i.e. fixed for the patient) superstructure and also includes screw-retained superstructures.
Both types of retention have advantages and disadvantages:
Screw retention creates gaps, which can be colonised by bacteria. To prevent this special gels, intended to remain effective in the long-term, are supplied for applying in the interior of the implant. If superstructures are screw-retained, they can also fail due to loosening, overloading or fracturing.
As implants are not self-mobile and are anchored rigidly in the alveolar bone the aim is always to ensure a passive fit of the superstructure. With screw-retained superstructures the passive fit can be checked on a minimum of two abutments using the Sheffield test (gap-free fit when tightening any individual screw). Procedures for intraoral bonding (such as adhesive bonding) of components of the superstructure and/or digital fabrication (e.g. milling, sintering) are used to fabricate stress-free frameworks.
To avoid inaccessible excess cement, which could result in peri-implantitis and implant failure, the restoration margin of cemented superstructures should always terminate in the region of the gingival margin. This allows fabrication of implant platforms mainly at bone level with corresponding (if necessary, custom-fabricated) abutments.
Abutments are used as a connection between implants and superstructure. Angled abutments enable parallelisation to produce a common path of insertion with superstructures on several abutments. Abutments can either copy the form of a tooth preparation or include a component of a connector (e.g. press-stud systems, ball abutment, bars, magnets). In these cases the superstructure incorporates the respective complementary components.
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Word of the day
| English | German |
|---|---|
| dentine-like | dentinähnlich |
Focus text of the month
Fixed restorations are a part of prosthetics. In particular crowns (though they often do not replace a tooth but only supplement the lost tooth structure of an existing tooth) and bridges as well as bar… Fixed restorations are a part of prosthetics. In particular crowns (though they often do not replace a tooth but only supplement the lost tooth structure of an existing tooth) and bridges as well as bar restorations are described as fixed restorations. Implants replace "fixed" tooth roots in the bone but are not defined as fixed restorations. In contrast to removable restorations, fixed restorations are rigidly bonded to teeth or implant abutments using adhesive retention or cementation. Restorations, which are fixed for the patient (e.g. by screw-retention or temporary cementation) but are designed to be removable by the dentist, are called "operator-removable". If restorations, which are removable for the patient, are retained on fixed crowns they are called fixed-removable restorations. A minimum of four periodontally healthy abutments in a favourable alignment (quadrangular) is essential for ensuring stable, statically balanced support per jaw for purely fixed restorations. However, for purely implant-borne fixed restorations in particular, a minimum of six abutments is required in the mandible and even eight abutments in the maxilla due to the lower bone quality. An increase in the number of abutments (e.g. using implants) and also a combination using removable (tissue-borne) restorations can help relieve the natural residual teeth.
Features of fixed restorations are periodontal support on abutments, a rigid, immovable connection with the abutment and the subjective sensation of patients of wearing "their own teeth". Care and repair are more difficult compared with removable versions and extending the restoration is generally impossible – especially in the case of (primary) connections with adjacent single crowns for increasing the stability. This is why the previously generally accepted superiority of fixed restorations should be qualified according to each individual case. A fixed restoration is not only impossible in edentulous cases but also with implants if, as a result of massive bone resorption, the distance between the alveolar ridge level and occlusal plane is too large, which would lead to an excessively forceful leverage effect. Fixed restorations can be fabricated provisionally (temporary; generally using acrylic and rarely from metal or ceramic), e.g. for testing a new occlusal relationship or for bridging the time required for fabrication of the permanent restoration or other treatment. Individual components of fixed restorations can be prefabricated (e.g. attachments, other connectors or implant abutments); these can remain unchanged or they can be customised. Final (permanent) fixed restorations are fabricated either from a single material, combinations of materials or by joining different materials using very different procedures, e.g. casting, milling, soldering, welding, grinding, sintering (CAD-CAM), pressing or electroforming. Temporary luting (short, medium or long-term) can be used for trying in fixed restorations. |
Pontic 42, labial view of single-winged bridge
Pontic 42, clinical view of single-winged bridge