Customized titanium single-implant abutments: 2-year follow-up pilot study
Jemt, T.
International Journal of Prosthodontics 11(4): 312-316
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0893-2174 PMID: 9758994 Document Number: 490225
The aim of this study was to describe an alternative technique to fabricate single-implant restorations by using adjustable titanium abutments with porcelain applied directly to the abutment, and to follow an early group of patients treated with these crowns. Seventeen randomly selected single crowns were consecutively placed in 14 patients and then followed for 2 years. A protocol of using healing abutments, implant impressions, and adjustment of the final abutment in the laboratory was used to fabricate the crowns. The clinical result revealed few clinical problems, and the mean marginal bone loss was 0.4 mm (standard deviation +/- 0.57 mm) after 1 year in function. The conclusion drawn, based in part on published literature, was that occurrence of mucosal inflammation and marginal bone loss was not related to the use of the present protocol.