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Evaluation of Two Implant-Supported Fixed Partial Denture Abutment Designs

Now online in the Journal of Prosthodontics, a report on implant-supported fixed partial denture abutment designs co-authored by ACP members Esra Alsarraf, BDM, Faris A. Alshahrani, BDS, MS, FRCD(C), and Steven J. Sadowsky, DDS.

An abutment screw is the main component that connects the abutment to the implant fixture within the screw joint assembly. Two primary abutment types for internal polygon implants are engaging abutments which have internal anti-rotational components that engage into the internal polygon of implants, and non-engaging abutments which do not engage physically into the implant.

The aim of this study was to compare screw surface characteristics between hemi-engaging and non-engaging implant-supported fixed partial denture (FPD) designs after cyclic loading.

Twenty-four specimens were prepared and divided into two groups. An experimental group included twelve 3-unit FPDs with a hemi-engaging design; a control group included twelve 3-unit FPDs with the conventional design of two non-engaging abutments.

Both groups were subjected to two types of cycling loading (CL), first axial loading, and then lateral loading at 30°. Data on screw surface roughness in three locations and screw thread depth were collected before (BL) and after (AL) each loading type. The effect of cyclic loading was evaluated by averaging values across the two screws within each specimen, then calculating difference scores (DL) between BL and AL (DL = AL – BL).

Results suggest that overall, changes in screw surface physical characteristics did not differ between hemi-engaging and non-engaging designs after evaluating screw surface roughness and thread depth before and after axial and lateral cyclic loading.

Alzoubi, FM, Sabti, M, Alsarraf, E, Alshahrani, FA, Sadowsky, SJ. Evaluation of two implant-supported fixed partial denture abutment designs: Influence on screw surface characteristics. J Prosthodont. 2023; 1– 9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopr.13716

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