Affiliation:
1. Department of Prosthodontics, Eastman Institute for Oral Health University of Rochester Rochester New York USA
2. PhD Program in Clinical Medicine and Public Health University of Granada Granada Spain
3. Department of Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, School of Dentistry University of Granada Granada Spain
4. Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria. IBS, University of Granada. Granada Spain
Abstract
AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of single‐tooth implant restorations using one‐piece, internally connected, screw‐retained, computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufactured monolithic zirconia restorations fabricated on regular diameter implants.Material and methodsFollowing a 2‐stage surgical procedure, 22 implants placed in anterior and posterior areas in 21 partially edentulous patients (mean age of 55 years; 9 males/12 females) were evaluated in terms of plaque index, pocket probing depth, bleeding on probing, level of oral hygiene (OH), signs of mucositis/peri‐implantitis, esthetic score (ES), gingival zenith position (GZP), papilla index score, the thickness of peri‐implant gingiva, radiographic marginal bone loss, and technical complications. Implants and restorations were prospectively followed from the insertion of the restoration (baseline), up to 12‐months post‐loading.ResultsA 100% implant survival rate resulted after loading; one implant was lost before loading. Clinically, patients performed an adequate OH, and tissues were kept healthy. Probing depth showed a slightly lower value at baseline compared to any follow‐up examination (2.26 [0.94] at baseline vs. 2.53 [0.66] mm at 12 months). ES, GZP, and the thickness of the peri‐implant gingiva improved throughout the course of the study. Radiographically, average marginal bone level (MBL) was 0.40 (0.40) mm after 1‐year follow‐up with no differences in average MBL at all time points. Technically, after 1 year of clinical function, neither abutment fracture nor any other serious complications occurred. Hence, prosthetic reconstruction survival rate was 100%.ConclusionsClinical outcomes of single‐tooth implant restorations using internally connected, screw‐retained, computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufacturing monolithic zirconia abutments can be considered a reliable treatment alternative after 1‐year clinical observation.