Common Prosthetic Implant Complications in Fixed Restorations.

Many clinicians consider implants to be one of the most important innovations in dental care. Even so, over the past 40 years of implant dentistry, complications have been a constant struggle for restorative dentists, surgeons, and patients alike. Implant-related problems can be particularly challenging and frustrating, especially given that an implant is thought to be a "lifetime" solution expected to yield minimal difficulties. This, however, is not necessarily the case with prosthetic restorations. With innovations in implant technology continuing to rapidly advance, maintaining knowledge of all the latest developments can be challenging for clinicians. The purpose of this article is to provide a basic understanding of the treatment, management, and prevention of common prosthetic and technical implant complications seen in the office of a restorative dentist.

Use of interdisciplinary team approach in establishing esthetic restorative dentistry.

Managing crown lengthening in cases of attrition (wear or loss of tooth substance) and achieving desired esthetic outcomes, especially in the esthetic zone, is challenging. This case report presents an interdisciplinary approach to case management. Concomitant use of digital imaging, along with model wax-ups and surgical guide, were used to enhance patient acceptance during treatment planning and to facilitate communication and treatment implementation among dental professionals and laboratory technicians. Resulting surgical template was used for crown lengthening to apically position the gingival zenith (margin) to a predetermined level, crown preps and final restorations, respectively, ultimately improving esthetics and patient satisfaction. Supplementing esthetic treatment planning with digital imaging, model wax-ups and a surgical template allows a dentist to carry information into the mouth and incorporate it into the surgical procedure, crown preps, temps and, ultimately, the final restoration.

All-ceramic restorative system for esthetic implant-supported crowns: in vitro evaluations and clinical case report.

Patient demands for improved esthetics have prompted the development of all-ceramic restorative systems for dental implants, but material strength and restorative costs have presented clinical challenges. Therefore, a new restorative system with tooth-shaped ceramic copings for the anterior and premolar jaw regions has been introduced to address these problems. Fatigue and 17o. compression tests were conducted in vitro to assess the mechanical strength of the 6 tooth-shaped copings and several luting agents of the system. A case report on the clinical use of the components is presented. All 6 tooth-shaped copings significantly exceeded the range of forces associated with restoration in the anterior jaw. Crown-endurance limits for fatigue and 17o. compression were 70% higher and 46% higher, respectively, than the established minimum-fatigue-endurance limits in those categories. In clinical evaluation, the ceramic restorative system performed well and produced excellent results; it has potential for implant restorations in the anterior and premolar regions of the jaw.