A comparison of a proprietary and generic dental implant abutment connection using computerised microtomography (micro-CT)

Abstract

Aim: To observe and assess the internal characteristics of a dental implant by comparing and contrasting the abutment-implant connection of a proprietary abutment connected to this implant and a generic abutment connected to this same implant. Materials and Methods: Fourteen implant specimens (Neoss Dental Implants, North Yorkshire, UK) were used in total across two groups. Seven proprietary titanium abutments were connected to seven corresponding implants with a proprietary abutment screw (proprietary group); seven generic titanium abutments were connected to the remaining seven implants by a proprietary abutment screw (generic group). Specimens were scanned using computed microtomography (Skyscan 1076: Bruker microCT, Kontich, Belgium) and analysed qualitatively using processing software (Avizo 9.0: FEI, Oregon, USA). Results: Proprietary implant-abutment connections were shown to be closely adapting, with no evidence of marginal gap horizontally or vertically. The unique Neoss implant-abutment connection contacts in half as many places as the generic implant-abutment connection. Generic implant abutment connections displayed marginal discrepancies in all seven specimens. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, proprietary abutments demonstrated a superior fit compared with generic abutments. Marginal discrepancies between generic abutments and implants may have been reduced if implant replicas were not used as a starting point.