5-year Evaluation of Metal-/All-ceramic Crowns on Individual Titanium/Ceramic (Two-piece) Abutments

Objectives: The clinical evaluation regarding prosthetic complications of provisionally luted metal-ceramic and all-ceramic crowns on individual titanium or two-piece ceramic abutments in the posterior region were determined after a mean observational period of 63 months.
Methods: Seventy-four patients were treated in a private practice in Hanau, Germany. A total of 123 implant restorations were inserted. All restorations were luted with provisional cement (Temp Bond). Technical complications were documented with respect to the restoration’s material. Ninety-three implant restorations have passed the 5-year visit.
Results: Twenty-eight specimens have to be rated as drop-outs (recall rate: 78.9%) and another 2 got lost as total failures (fractures of 2 titanium abutments). In 4 cases clinical intervention was necessary to manage technical complications (1 loosening of the abutment screw and 1 case of chipping in the metal-ceramic group, 3 cases of loss of retention: 1 in the ceramic and 2 in the metal-ceramic group).
Conclusions: Individual abutments in the posterior region showed less technical complications as were reported for customized abutments in this area. Metal-ceramic and all-ceramic single tooth restorations on individual abutments revealed comparable good clinical results with remarkable low chipping rates. Furthermore the provisional cementation even for all-ceramic implant restorations in this study did not lead to increased rates of loss of retentions.