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Purpose: To evaluate the effect of cooling on the reverse torque values of different abutments in bone-level and tissue-level implants. The null hypothesis was that there would be no difference in reverse torque values of abutment screws when cooled and uncooled implant abutments were compared. Materials and Methods: Bone-level and tissue-level implants (Straumann, each n = 36) were placed in synthetic bone blocks and subdivided into three groups (each n = 12) based on the abutment type (titanium base, cementable abutment, abutment for screw-retained restorations). All abutment screws were tightened to 35 Ncm torque. In half of the implants, a dry ice rod was applied on the abutments close to the implant-abutment connection for 60 seconds before untightening the abutment screw. The remaining implant-abutment pairs were not cooled. The maximum reverse torque values were recorded using a digital torque meter. The tightening and untightening procedure was repeated three times for each implant including cooling for the test groups, resulting in 18 reverse torque values per group. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the effect of cooling and abutment type on the measurements. Post hoc t tests were used to make group comparisons (α = .05). The P values of post hoc tests were corrected for multiple testing using the Bonferroni-Holm method. Results: The null hypothesis was rejected. Cooling and abutment type significantly affected the reverse torque values in bone-level implants (P = .004) but not in tissue-level implants (P = .051). The reverse torque values of bone-level implants significantly decreased after cooling (20.31 ± 2.55 Ncm vs 17.61 ± 2.49 Ncm). Overall mean reverse torque values were significantly higher in bonelevel implants compared to tissue-level implants (18.96 ± 2.84 Ncm vs 16.13 ± 3.17 Ncm; P < .001). Conclusion: Cooling of the implant abutment led to a significant decrease in reverse torque values in bone-level implants and may therefore be recommended as a pretreatment before the application of procedures to remove a stuck implant part. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2023;38:94–100. doi: 10.11607/jomi.9499 Keywords: abutment screw, blocked implants, cryo-mechanical, maintenance, technical complications

Purpose: To assess the effect of tooth morphology on the amount of tooth structure removal and the effect of different assessment methods on the detected amount of removed tooth structure. Materials and Methods: Eight test groups (n = 10 each) of standardized artificial teeth were prepared for partial and full crowns. All teeth were prepared by the same operator following predefined preparation parameters. Tooth structure removal was measured by using three different assessment methods: digital volumetric analysis (DVA), weight analysis (WA), and combined computer-aided manufacture-weight analysis (CAMWA). Nonparametric repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc analyses were used to determine the influence of tooth morphology and assessment method on the detected amount of tooth structure removal. Results: For partial-crown preparations, only tooth morphology had a significant impact on the detected amount of tooth structure removal (P < .0001), but not the different assessment methods used (P = .08); tooth structure removal was not significantly different between the canine and incisor groups, but was significant for all other groupwise comparisons. For full-crown preparations, the tooth morphology (P = .047) and different assessment methods (P = .01) had an impact on the detected tooth structure removal; however, only a few groupwise comparisons reached the significance level. Conclusion: The amount of tooth structure removal depended on tooth morphology and the type of assessment method, which should be taken into account when comparing results across studies. The detected amount of tooth structure removal was below the values described in the literature independent of the assessment method used.

Aim: This case report describes a digital workflow for prosthetically driven surgical planning, implant placement, and the fabrication of two screw-retained, complete-arch, implant-supported dentures in an edentulous patient. The purpose of this case report is to present and discuss the digital steps in the workflow, especially the scanning technique to obtain the centric relation, through a clinical case. The limitations of the workflow are also discussed.Materials and methods: Static computer-aided implant surgery (s-CAIS) was planned three-dimensionally, based on cone beam computed tomography, intraoral optical scanning, and digital bite registration. Using s-CAIS, four and six implants were placed in the edentulous mandible and maxilla, respectively. The final screw-retained complete-arch monolithic zirconia restorations were manufactured based on a digital workflow, using the pre-existing modified radiologic guide for the digital maxillomandibular record. Conclusions: The evolution of digital processing methods allows for design, processing, and fabrication of implant-supported fixed complete dentures using a surgical, prosthetic, and technical workflow based on 3D restorative backward planning. A digital prosthetic setup and CAD/CAM can be used for the fabrication of intraoral try-ins that serve as a model for the final monolithic zirconia superstructure. Keywords: backward planning, edentulous, complete-arch, implant-supported, fixed complete denture, CAD/CAM, monolithic zirconia, radiologic guide

Purpose: The hydrophilic implant surface (INICELL) is a chemical alteration of a sandblasted and thermally acid-etched surface that should lead to long-term osseointegration. This study investigated 3-year results after early loading of implants with a hydrophilic, moderately rough surface in occlusal contact. Materials and Methods: This prospective case series study was conducted in subjects with partially edentulous mandibles. Implants were placed on day 21 and loaded with a provisional reconstruction after at least 21 days of healing (baseline, day 0) if their implant stability quotient (ISQ) was ≥ 70 (mean of three measurements) and were replaced by definitive porcelain-fused-to-metal prostheses at the 6-month follow-up visit. Follow-up examinations were planned 1, 3, 6, 12, and 36 months after baseline. Results: A total of 20 implants were placed in 15 patients (mean age: 51 years, range: 32 to 67 years). After 36 months, all implants were osseointegrated, and no suppuration was recorded. Small changes of bone level were observed between 3 months and 36 months. At 36 months, the median values of the 20 implants were 0.25 (range: 0 to 0.5, SD: 0.17), 0.25 (range: 0 to 1, SD: 0.27), and 4 (range: 2 to 7.25, SD: 1.17) for the mean modified Plaque Index (mPI), mean modified Sulcus Bleeding Index (mSBI), and mean probing pocket depth, respectively. The pairwise analysis between 3 and 36 months showed an improvement in the mean mPI (P = .0126) and mean mSBI (P = .0059). After 36 months, all patients (n = 15) were fully satisfied with a mean of 9.43 (range: 8 to 10, SD: 0.678) at the visual analog scale. Conclusion: Early functional loading of implants with a hydrophilic, moderately rough outer surface in occlusal contact 21 days after healing appears to be a safe and feasible treatment option when placed in the posterior mandible of partially edentulous patients. Keywords: delayed placement, dental implants, early loading, hydrophilic implant surface

Purpose: To report the performance of a repair service set for the retrieval of fractured screws and to compare three clinical assessments to an in vitro assessment to verify the completeness of removal of the fractured screws. Materials and Methods: Twelve clinicians were asked to remove fractured implant abutment screws from prepared specimens by means of a repair service set. The completeness of the removal of any abutment screw material was measured by the fit of an impression post, a dental surgery microscope, and the use of an elastomeric impression material. Results: After the participants attempted to remove the fractured screw with the repair service set, 100%, 83.3%, 66.7%, and 75% of the fractured screws were considered successful in the impression post, dental surgery microscope, silicone replica, and stereomicroscope assessments, respectively. Conclusion: The retrieval of fractured screws succeeded in 75% of the cases. The silicone replica technique and the dental surgery microscope had similar diagnostic values to the stereoscopic microscope assessment. Keywords: dental abutments, dental implants, dental restoration failure

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of one-piece, screw-retained implant crowns based on hand-veneered computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) zirconium dioxide abutments with a crossfit connection at least 1 year after insertion of the crown. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients who had received at least one Straumann bone level implant and one-piece, screw-retained implant crowns fabricated with CARES zirconium dioxide abutments were reexamined. Patient satisfaction, occlusal and peri-implant parameters, mechanical and biologic complications, radiologic parameters, and esthetics were recorded. Results: A total of 50 implant crowns in the anterior and premolar region were examined in 41 patients. The follow-up period of the definitive reconstructions ranged from 1.1 to 3.8 years. No technical and no biologic complications had occurred. At the reexamination, 100% of the implants and reconstructions were in situ. Radiographic evaluation revealed a mean distance from the implant shoulder to the first visible bone-to-implant contact of 0.06 mm at the follow-up examination. Conclusion: Screw-retained crowns based on veneered CAD/CAM zirconium dioxide abutments with a crossfit connection seem to be a promising way to replace missing teeth in the anterior and premolar region. In the short term, neither failures of components nor complications were noted, and the clinical and radiographic data revealed stable hard and soft tissue conditions. Keywords: biologic complications, dental implant, screw retention, single crown, technical complications, zirconia abutment

The objective of this study was to digitally analyze the emergence profile changes before and after soft tissue conditioning with fixed-implant provisional restorations. Impressions were taken with individualized posts to build casts for 20 patients. Optical scanning of the modulated mucosa was performed from the model situations in combination with the original healing abutments. Emergence profile extension revealed a mean volume of 41.9 mm3 for central sites and 25.8 mm3 for laterals. In addition, linear calculations of supraimplant mucosal profile changes presented a median enlargement of 8.2 mm in the mesial-distal and 7.2 mm in the buccal-lingual direction for central incisors and 6.8 mm (mesial-distal) and 6.5 mm (buccal-lingual) for lateral incisors. The change was more than double compared with the initial profile of the healing abutments.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate stiffness, strength, and failure modes of monolithic crowns produced using computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacture, which are connected to diverse titanium and zirconia abutments on an implant system with tapered, internal connections. Materials and Methods: Twenty monolithic lithium disilicate (LS2) crowns were constructed and loaded on bone level-type implants in a universal testing machine under quasistatic conditions according to DIN ISO 14801. Comparative analysis included a 2 × 2 format: prefabricated titanium abutments using proprietary bonding bases (group A) vs nonproprietary bonding bases (group B), and customized zirconia abutments using proprietary Straumann CARES (group C) vs nonproprietary Astra Atlantis (group D) material. Stiffness and strength were assessed and calculated statistically with the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Crosssections of each tested group were inspected microscopically. Results: Loaded LS2 crowns, implants, and abutment screws in all tested specimens (groups A, B, C, and D) did not show any visible fractures. For an analysis of titanium abutments (groups A and B), stiffness and strength showed equally high stability. In contrast, proprietary and nonproprietary customized zirconia abutments exhibited statistically significant differences with a mean strength of 366 N (Astra) and 541 N (CARES) (P .05); as well as a mean stiffness of 884 N/mm (Astra) and 1,751 N/mm (CARES) (P .05), respectively. Microscopic cross-sections revealed cracks in all zirconia abutments (groups C and D) below the implant shoulder. Conclusion: Depending on the abutment design, prefabricated titanium abutment and proprietary customized zirconia implant-abutment connections in conjunction with monolithic LS2 crowns had the best results in this laboratory investigation. Keywords: abutment connection, dental implants, DIN ISO 14801, failure mode, lithium-disilicate (LS2), stiffness, strength, titanium, zirconia

Purpose: To compare time-efficiency in the production of implant crowns using a digital workflow versus the conventional pathway. Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical study used a crossover design that included 20 study participants receiving single-tooth replacements in posterior sites. Each patient received a customized titanium abutment plus a computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacture (CAD/CAM) zirconia suprastructure (for those in the test group, using digital workflow) and a standardized titanium abutment plus a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (for those in the control group, using a conventional pathway). The start of the implant prosthetic treatment was established as the baseline. Time-efficiency analysis was defined as the primary outcome, and was measured for every single clinical and laboratory work step in minutes. Statistical analysis was calculated with the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: All crowns could be provided within two clinical appointments, independent of the manufacturing process. The mean total production time, as the sum of clinical plus laboratory work steps, was significantly different. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) time was 185.4 ± 17.9 minutes for the digital workflow process and 223.0 ± 26.2 minutes for the conventional pathway (P = .0001). Therefore, digital processing for overall treatment was 16% faster. Detailed analysis for the clinical treatment revealed a significantly reduced mean ± SD chair time of 27.3 ± 3.4 minutes for the test group compared with 33.2 ± 4.9 minutes for the control group (P = .0001). Similar results were found for the mean laboratory work time, with a significant decrease of 158.1 ± 17.2 minutes for the test group vs 189.8 ± 25.3 minutes for the control group (P = .0001). Conclusion: Only a few studies have investigated efficiency parameters of digital workflows compared with conventional pathways in implant dental medicine. This investigation shows that the digital workflow seems to be more time-efficient than the established conventional production pathway for fixed implant-supported crowns. Both clinical chair time and laboratory manufacturing steps could be effectively shortened with the digital process of intraoral scanning plus CAD/CAM technology. Keywords: conventional pathway, dental crown, dental implant, digital, time-efficiency, workflow

Purpose: Digital developments have led to the opportunity to compose simulated patient models based on three-dimensional (3D) skeletal, facial, and dental imaging. The aim of this systematic review is to provide an update on the current knowledge, to report on the technical progress in the field of 3D virtual patient science, and to identify further research needs to accomplish clinical translation. Materials and Methods: Searches were performed electronically (MEDLINE and OVID) and manually up to March 2014 for studies of 3D fusion imaging to create a virtual dental patient. Inclusion criteria were limited to human studies reporting on the technical protocol for superimposition of at least two different 3D data sets and medical field of interest. Results: Of the 403 titles originally retrieved, 51 abstracts and, subsequently, 21 full texts were selected for review. Of the 21 full texts, 18 studies were included in the systematic review. Most of the investigations were designed as feasibility studies. Three different types of 3D data were identified for simulation: facial skeleton, extraoral soft tissue, and dentition. A total of 112 patients were investigated in the development of 3D virtual models. Conclusion: Superimposition of data on the facial skeleton, soft tissue, and/or dentition is a feasible technique to create a virtual patient under static conditions. Three-dimensional image fusion is of interest and importance in all fields of dental medicine. Future research should focus on the real-time replication of a human head, including dynamic movements, capturing data in a single step. Keywords: computer-assisted image processing, digital dental medicine, image fusion, patient simulation, superimposition