A modern modern prosthetic ceramic abutment
Titanium abutments are thought to have a better soft tissue response from the gums attaching to the implant. Gold, on the other hand used to be the material of choice when porcelain esthetics were more important, since it yielded a "warmer" color to the porcelain. Gold has largely been replaced by ceramic abutments, which are usually made out of a zirconia-type ceramic. It offers good fracture resistance, and excellent esthetics, since it allows for the transmission of light instead of the reflection, which is the main draw back of any metal abutment.
Abutments can either be pre-manufactured, custom-made by a laboratory technician, or as is often the case with ceramic custom abutments, they can be made with CAD/CAM technology. Again, which of these methods is chosen, depends on many parameters, such as angulation of the implant, the type of tooth restored and perhaps also the biting dynamics of each individual patient.
This shows the abutment, the abutment screw and the implant fixture un-assembled
A Dental Implant, as most patients understand it, typically consists of three parts:
- The Implant Fixture
- The (Prosthetic) Abutment
- The Crown (Cap)
On this page we will discuss the abutment. The abutment is also called the prosthetic abutment or the implant abutment. It is a piece which connects to the implant fixture via a screw, also known as the abutment screw. As we will see in the "crown" section, the abutment is the interface piece, which connects the implant fixture to the final crown. The abutment is often custom made in a laboratory or via CAD/CAM technology and can be made from different materials, such as ceramic, titanium, gold or other high-noble metals. Which material is chosen will depend on the individual application.
Here the abutment is connected to the implant fixture
The (Prosthetic) Abutment
