Implants Crown & Bridge

Cementable Implant Crowns

A cementable implant crown is designed to be luted onto an abutment using dental cement.

Advantages

Esthetic Excellence:
No visible access hole, providing a seamless and natural appearance, especially for anterior teeth.

Angulation Flexibility:
Can be used effectively even if implant placement is slightly off-angle.

Familiar Workflow:
Many clinicians are comfortable with the traditional cementation process.

Considerations

Retrievability:
 Removal can be challenging and often requires cutting the crown, making future maintenance or repairs difficult.

Cement-Related Risks:
 Improperly removed or excess cement can lead to peri-implantitis or inflammation of surrounding tissue.

Ideal Cases

  • Single anterior restorations where esthetics are paramount
  • Situations with slightly compromised implant angulation
  • Patients with low risk for peri-implant tissue complications

Screw-Retained Implant Crowns

Screw-retained crowns attach directly to the implant or abutment with a fixation screw, leaving a small access channel that is later filled.

Advantages

Retrievability:
Easy removal for maintenance, repair, or adjustments.

No Cement Needed:
Eliminates risks associated with residual cement and peri-implant tissue complications.

Durability:
Especially suited for high-load posterior teeth and multi-unit restorations.

Considerations

Esthetic Challenges:
The screw access hole can affect appearance, particularly in anterior teeth, if the implant is not optimally positioned.

Precision Required:
Proper angulation is critical for ideal screw positioning and occlusion.

Ideal Cases

  • Posterior crowns or multi-unit bridges
  • Full-arch restorations requiring long-term retrievability
  • Patients with high occlusal loads or bruxism

Screwmentable Implant Crowns

Screwmentable crowns combine the advantages of both cementable and screw-retained designs. The crown is cemented extraorally onto a screw-retained abutment, then delivered and secured as a single unit.

Advantages

Esthetic and Functional Balance:
Offers the lifelike appearance of a cementable crown while maintaining the retrievability of a screw-retained restoration.

No Intraoral Cement Risks:
 Cementation occurs outside the mouth, reducing the chance of tissue irritation.

Angulation Correction:
Custom abutments can help correct implant angulation for ideal crown emergence.

Considerations

Complexity:
Laboratory process is slightly more intricate, requiring precise fabrication and cementation techniques.

Space Requirements:
May need adequate vertical space compared to other retention methods.

Ideal Cases

  • Anterior restorations where both esthetics and retrievability are critical

  • Cases with less-than-ideal implant angulation

  • Short-span bridges or single units requiring precise tissue support