Using an Abutment Analog
Posted on 08/02/2011
A number of implant systems now offer a complete restorative kit which is packaged together with the implant. The kit is typically purchased by the oral surgeon and passed along to the restorative dentist.
These kits typically include the implant, the healing cap, the final abutment, the final abutment screw, the abutment lab analog, and a plastic impression sleeve. Among the companies offering such items are Straumann with their Solid Abutment System (Ref 048.245 for example), MIS with their complete prosthetic system (Lot WO724718 for example), Nobel Biocare Snappy Abutment (Ref 35799) or Lifecore/Keystone with their RDS COC abutment analogs and a number of other companies.
For this type of impression, the doctor would insert the abutment into the mouth and torque it. She/he would then place the plastic impression sleeve over the abutment and take an impression.
The dental lab would then pour a soft tissue model with the abutment analog provided by the doctor and make a standard crown. Occasionally, the lab may need to modify the abutment analog in the event that there is insufficient occlusal clearance, but the lab can fabricate a metal reduction coping as a tool for the doctor to mimic the reduction in the mouth.
Among the advantages to this style of impression is the cost savings (no lab fabricated abutment required) and the simplicity.
The major disadvantage is that reduction of the abutment prior to impressioning is not possible if using the plastic sleeve (recommended approach) and that doctors can only do cement retained crowns. In most cases, this approach is used for molars. It is rarely used bi-cuspid forward due to aesthetic demands requiring a custom abutment.
These kits typically include the implant, the healing cap, the final abutment, the final abutment screw, the abutment lab analog, and a plastic impression sleeve. Among the companies offering such items are Straumann with their Solid Abutment System (Ref 048.245 for example), MIS with their complete prosthetic system (Lot WO724718 for example), Nobel Biocare Snappy Abutment (Ref 35799) or Lifecore/Keystone with their RDS COC abutment analogs and a number of other companies.
For this type of impression, the doctor would insert the abutment into the mouth and torque it. She/he would then place the plastic impression sleeve over the abutment and take an impression.
The dental lab would then pour a soft tissue model with the abutment analog provided by the doctor and make a standard crown. Occasionally, the lab may need to modify the abutment analog in the event that there is insufficient occlusal clearance, but the lab can fabricate a metal reduction coping as a tool for the doctor to mimic the reduction in the mouth.
Among the advantages to this style of impression is the cost savings (no lab fabricated abutment required) and the simplicity.
The major disadvantage is that reduction of the abutment prior to impressioning is not possible if using the plastic sleeve (recommended approach) and that doctors can only do cement retained crowns. In most cases, this approach is used for molars. It is rarely used bi-cuspid forward due to aesthetic demands requiring a custom abutment.
